


Jedtavius December

by loni_meow



Series: Jedtavius [2]
Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Humor? Dunno, M/M, Watch out for me being a little bit kinky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-05 05:26:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 40,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16804501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loni_meow/pseuds/loni_meow
Summary: Jedediah and Octavius decide to share the nights  of the December with each other.





	1. 1st December

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place after the first movie. And I'm probably talking shit about Rome and snow things but duh
> 
> This gets updated every day in December, like an advent calendar ^<^

Octavius sat near by the window and stared to the outside, smiling slightly.

It was the first december, and it was snowing. Yeah, little, almost cute, snowflakes were coming down from the sky, and the Roman general watched them falling, and falling, and falling...

"What you looking at, pal?" a voice asked suddenly, and scared the living hell out of Octavius, who even let out a little, scared squeak, trying to gulp it down because he didn't want to look weak in front of the cowboy, but he failed.

Jedediah noticed and couldn't stop but ask, a little mocking was hearable in his voice, "Did I scare you?"

"No you didn't," Octavius snorted, trying to hold up his strong appearance, and destroyed it by dreamy leaning his head against the big window, then. "And, to answer your first question, I'm just watching the snow." 

"You're doin' that every year when it snows for the first time, even in those years in which we fought against each other. Is snow so special to you?" Jedediah said, almost a bit mocking, but mostly confused, just to sit down next to Octavius right after that.

"I mean, yeah, it's kinda cool that it's the first december and the first day with snow, but you're even watchin' when it wasn't like that."

Octavius cracked a little smile again, still calming down from the shock Jed gave him when he arrived. Even if he realized what Jed just confessed, he remained relaxed:

Jed had been watching him, at least every winter when it snowed for the first time.

Octavius' smile grew, but he didn't dare to talk about it.

"I just like it. Snow is pretty and it calms me down somehow," he said with a little shrug, guiding himself away from the thought of Jed watching him, sitting here, looking through the window.

"I need something like that sometimes, so that I can stay calm when you come and pull me out of my thoughts," the Roman joked, shaking his head dramatically, and Jedediah laughed about that. 

"Listen, Ockie. I have a great idea. You know, it's december, and it's Christmas soon. Let's make this month special. We could do something everyday, like sneaking out, since you like the sno-"

"No, we won't sneak out. Larry told us to stay inside, to avoid any troubles. But the idea in general sounds great. What else do you have on your mind?" Octavius interrupted and his smile faded a bit, making a weird face.

He wouldn't dare to sneak out, since they were pretty small and pretty slow, so what if they wouldn't get back early enough?   
Octavius knew, but he didn't want to think about falling apart into dust.

So, Jedediah's idea sounded ridiculous and too dangerous to him, even if he liked the snow.

Jedediah seemed to think about a different idea, so Octavius drifted into his thoughts, too.

He thought about them, what almost made him chuckle, but he kept it down. All those years, all that fighting, and then, they somehow got it together. Sure, Larry was a great help, and Octavius felt better about a friendship with Jedediah, but they still were not the closest.

On some days, they didn't even see each other, and that had seemed to be completely okay, but the Roman wanted to learn more about the cowboy. And the kind of friendship, that they had, would've made the questioning weird.

Pretty weird.

Sometimes they still drove together in a car, and sometimes, there were some weird moments.

Especially when Jedediah once had managed to mess up, but still speeded up, so Octavius had to take the wheel, fighting him off.

This resulted in a little car crash, but none of them got hurt, because they crashed into a wall at low speed, since Octavius, sitting half on Jedediah's lap at that moment, had slowed them down.

The Roman never talked about it with the cowboy, but when they were close to crashing, Jedediah had hold onto him. He had a tight grasp around Octavius' stomach, and he probably even pressed his face against his back.

It was weird, and Octavius himself leaned back, trying to get his face out of danger.

If anyone would've seen them like that, they may had thought something different about them. But as soon as they were out of danger, Jedediah quickly let go off his friend, almost pushing him down, blaming him for the crash.

They argued a bit, but then both agreed, that it was both's fault.

Octavius had tried to calm down his breath, shaking hands and racing heart back then, thinking that it was only from the shock, but when he had looked at Jed, he slowly gulped.

And well, before they got into the argument, Octavius had immediately tried to ask Jedediah if everything was okay, but his voice was so thin and quiet, that the cowboy, who looked scared himself, pretty much didn't notice it, or just didn't answer.

And the Roman didn't really care.

Maybe it was better that Jedediah didn't hear his big worry about him.

When the cowboy cleared his throat, Octavius came back into the present.

"Hm?" Octavius then asked confused and a bit embarrassed because Jedediah caught him not paying attention.

"You ain't there with your mind, are you alright?" the cowboy asked, whipping with his feet.   
"My mind is here right now. I'm sorry for being a bit... distracted," Octavius answered almost weirdly controlled, still staring at the snowflakes.

"I'm just thinking about the snow," he lied, and shrugged. "And the cold in general."

"Great, now you're talking 'bout the same topic I brought on," Jedediah said, smiling slightly, following Octavius' glare that went to nothing specific. After some moments of silence, the cowboy looked at Octavius again, waiting for a reaction, but nothing came.

So Jedediah decided to bring up the topic again.

"I asked you if you had much snow, back then," he repeated, "you know, in Rome."

A smile, that was genuine, very dreamy and somehow even cute (Jed was confused at that thought) spread across Octavius' face after that question. So the cowboy could think of the answer, while he was staring at the Roman's dreamy smile.

And he liked to watch Octavius' reactions, and how he seemed to relax more every minute.

"Yes, I had," he then started and couldn't stop smiling, even if he wanted to be serious and not so dreamy. Jedediah laughed and raised an eyebrow, before he started to talk, when Octavius didn't, again.

"Com'on, tell me more. We'll do some nice things together, but talking wouldn't be wrong, too. I'm interested."

"Well," the Roman started, and his smile suddenly had something sad, "Winter was the period of peace. You know, we had a lot to do, and the people weren't that nice to each other, too. And I had that under control, but... it was tense, and we had to fight many wars, but everyone avoided the winter. In winter, soldiers would freeze, the snow would make everything way more exhausting than it was already, and snow storms, for example, would result in chaos. It would be more difficult to see anything, if everything was covered in the same white snow. It was stupid to fight wars in winter. So, it was peaceful most of the time. When we were in Rome, and once didn't have to worry about wars, it was... almost magical. It was cold, yes, but we had our hot baths, and it was even better to go there when it was cold. The wifes that actually love their husbands were even happier, since this was just one time where they didn't have to fear their love's death. Rome, covered in snow, is something that I'll never forget, to be honest. Everything was so... peaceful and... like I said before, magical, almost as if it was just a little city in winter. A dream. My dream. I loved the snow, feeling it in my face when I went outside, and I loved the cold. I think it was the thing that really made me happy back then. And finally the people could get through their fights and also enjoyed the winter. Most of the time, at least. So, I miss the snow, and I'm watching it every winter, even if we were fighting. It was something that I needed, not just to calm down. To remember what I am, and who I am or who I was. I am sorry for being so... I don't know, I just talk to much."

"No, you ain't," Jedediah said, now smiling even more himself, "that really sounds beautiful. Makes sense that you miss those days."

Octavius nodded, just to finally look at Jedediah again, and he was glad that he could talk about it.

"Rome sounds like a pretty good place to be in winters," the cowboy said, and grinned, "I like how you're talkin' 'bout it. Never heard you bein' so dreamy about somethin' before."

Octavius laughed about this, and shrugged, while he looked up to Jed's face, what he immediately regretted.

Now his glare stopped at the cowboy's unbelievable blue one's, but the other man just stared back, and it frightened Octavius. He felt exposed, but also stared at himself, so he didn't stop.

That blue really took him off-guard, and he saw the sea in it. Unbent, wild, but also beautiful, and sometimes even gentle.

Octavius had seen the sea, too.

And he really recognized the impression that the sea made on him in those blue eyes, and he thought that it was almost... creepy.

Creepy how attached he was towards the cowboy's eyes, even if they weren't that close and even if they had been fighting a long time before Larry started working.

And when the realization hit in, Octavius wanted to shake his head, but he didn't.

Instead, he listened to his racing heart, accepting that he was drowning in his friend's eyes.

Jedediah didn't feel better, though.

He didn't want to accept it, but now that he looked into Octavius' eyes for the first time, like, in a serious way, he wondered how he could ignore the warmth in those eyes for so long.

The Roman had always tried to look and act fierce and strong, maybe even completely cold.

So, Jedediah had been accepting that, until now. His eyes just made him feel warm himself and also comfortable, because of the warm brown. As if he was gentle by nature, but tried to hide that down.

Jedediah shook his head, not daring to break the eye contact, since it was insane, and actually, none of them really know how it got into that way, but even their smiles faded.

But then, Jedediah realized that he was staring way too long, so that he looked away immediately, blushing slightly.

 _Shit,_ he cursed embarrassed and really confused about his feelings, so he didn't realize that he said it out loud.

"I'm sorry," Octavius meant, his voice calm, even if Jedediah could recognize a bit of panic in it.

He hissed. "I said that out loud?"

Octavius nodded, and they didn't dare to look at each other, because it could happen again, and both were confused. Even if Octavius felt a bit more clear and sure than his cowboy friend, they both remained silent.

It was an awkward silence, what was completely expected, since they just stared into each other's eyes for a longer time.

Octavius didn't want the tension to get over him, so he cleared his throat and started, for once, talking.

"Did you hear that Larry and Nicky plan something for tomorrow?" he asked quietly and pretty quick, so that his voice wouldn't break.

"Yeah, and I'm looking forward to it," Jedediah brought out, "Let's get there together, though. Just like we planned. We begin the nights together, and we end the nights together."

It was good to know that Jedediah wouldn't be avoiding him after that moment. He just wanted to... get rid of it.


	2. 2nd December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like writing about anxiety. I kinda like Angst in general.. But this fic will be pretty fluffy because I don't want to be killed by my friends, whoopsie

Octavius came to life, and as always, the panic rose in his body really fast. It had been like that the whole years before, every single night.   
He gasped for some air, while he relaxed his arm with the sword and shook his head. He could say he was lucky that Jedediah never really saw the anxiety in the Roman's eyes when they came to life every night. He would've mocked him with that forever, at least Octavius thought that.   
So, only his men saw how scared and hurt he was in the first moment, his body shaking and his eyes wandering around as if they were chased, until he tried to calm down, but it didn't work.   
He put the sword away and looked around, leaving his men. They were used to it, since this never changed a bit, even the result was always the same.   
He walked to the edge of the Roman diorama and looked around in the room, his eyes dark and full of fear, that only left him when he saw that he still was in the museum, that it was the same one, that just everything was the same it has been before.   
He even looked around as much as he could to look to the cowboys, but they were there, too.   
Octavius placed a hand on his mouth since he felt as if he would vomit, getting the anxiety out of his body.   
It didn't belong there. A Roman general shouldn't be anxious about waking up, and especially not about changes.   
"Octavius?" he heard someone shouting, and he couldn't help but flinch, even if it was Jedediah.   
_Merda_ , Octavius cursed in his mind, _calm down, you coward._   
The Roman shook his head again, his mind finally realizing that everything was okay. Would he ever tell someone, he often asked himself, but he knew that the answer was no.   
Still, here was this cowboy down there, and he had to deal with him without showing his anxiety. He knew how this would work, since they came to life for many years now.   
Octavius just felt even more like vomiting.   
"Hey - oh. Are you okay?" Jedediah suddenly asked, his voice really close, and Octavius knew that he just found his way up in a really short time. Or he just thought way too much.  
The Roman immediately reacted with a flinch, again, and then pulled his hands away.   
"Yes, sure."  
The cowboy frowned and raised an eyebrow, but Octavius blocked every try to see through the wall that he just made in some seconds, so that he could look fierce and strong, and not so anxious.   
The worry still didn't leave Jed's eyes, and Octavius was surprised to see worry at all.   
Well, actually... He shouldn't be so confused about that. Jedediah never saw him anxious, so... he knew that it was unusual, that's all.   
"You're not okay," the blonde man insisted, crossing his arms, raising an eyebrow at the Roman. "Com'on, tell me, then I can help you."  
Octavius shook his head. "You have to be mistaken. I'm fine. Let's go."  
He started to walk away, but when he heard Jedediah sighing, he realized that he didn't even know where they would go at all.   
_This is embarrassing_ , Octavius thought and felt his cheeks burning, so he was blushing, right?   
So, he stopped walking again and cleared his throat before he turned around, even though it wouldn't change anything about his way too red cheeks.   
"Well...Where will we go?"   
Jedediah giggled slightly nervous while he also looked around in the Roman diorama, so he didn't see Octavius blushing.   
He's never been there before, and the glares of some other miniatures scared him really much. Were they going to attack him, even if they handled out a peaceful way? It went so good, but those glares...  
"Jedediah-"  
He jumped at the sound of Octavius' voice so close to his face, and the hand on his left shoulder, what made the Roman curious.   
He came closer to Jed to look after him, because he really seemed a bit afraid. Then realization hit the Roman.  
" _You_ are the one who is scared."  
"I ain't!" Jedediah shouted, his voice cracking. "It's just... not familiar, boy."  
Octavius raised an eyebrow and looked at his men to show them with a hand sign that they should go. He had an idea what scared Jedediah so much that he couldn't even hide it.   
When they were gone, Octavius turned to Jed again, who was looking after the others.  
"No one will hurt you, I'll promise you that, alright?"  
He then squeezed his shoulder and smiled slightly to calm Jedediah down, but he moved a step back and stared into his friend's eyes, ice cold. He wasn't that touchy, the Roman knew. But that he would react like that.  
Octavius gulped and took his hand back, biting his lip, feeling bad.   
"Well... Let's go, then," he muttered unsure and looked to the right, and when Jedediah didn't say anything, Octavius sighed and continued again.  
"I hear something. It might be some organized things from Larry and Nicky. I think they talked about it when I was close to them yesterday."  
Jedediah frowned and looked into the same direction as Octavius, just not looking at him.   
"Hey, I'm sorry," the Roman said, "I just wanted to comfort y-"  
"It's okay, screw this. You're right. Let's go. To look what's there, huh?" Jedediah interrupted suddenly and turned around, but looking at Octavius, waiting for an answer.   
"Yes, sure. I'm sure it'll be fun," he muttered and smiled shortly again, before they started to go.   
Octavius only looked around once again, to see that his men still looked at them, but more hidden.   
The Roman rolled his eyes. At least he's got Jedediah out of there now, and the uncomfortable silence between them wouldn't happen again.   
But why would Jedediah react like that? Octavius meant it only to comfort him, not to hurt him in any way.

When they came into the hall, everything was loud already. They were celebrating, and Octavius couldn't stop a smile that crawled onto his lips.   
"We're a bit late, hm?" he asked the cowboy who nodded, then weirdly laughing when they had to watch out, so that they won't be stepped on.   
"Yeah, seems like that," he shouted against the loud noises.   
"But can you see Gigantor?"  
Octavius snorted and wanted to say something like "I don't really see anything at this height", but he let it be. They would still see or hear him, he knew, so Jed was right. He wasn't easy to overlook, especially since he was trying to keep the museum in a less chaotic status, but obviously, he had given up for some time now.   
But now, Larry wasn't there.   
"We're missing something," Octavius muttered thoughtfully, but then decided to grab Jed's arm and pull him to the site with himself, so that they didn't have to stay in the big danger of being tripped on.   
"So... We should find them, right?"

After some talking, it was a sure thing. Octavius obviously was more worried while walking around than Jedediah, as usual. But did he show it?  
Yes, but only if you looked close. Otherwise, he still looked like a fierce soldier.   
Usually, they sat in a car on those days and drove around, but this time, they ran around like the other miniatures that came here.   
"This is giving me a weird kick," Jedediah giggled slightly excited when they stopped running for some moments. "It's way more safe and comfortable in the car, right?"  
Octavius just nodded and rolled his eyes, but hid it. He often wasn't a person who rolled their eyes when they were annoyed, he did it when he was scared or worried, to hide it under anger or just being annoyed. This was one of his great moves to hide his inner anxieties.   
"Com'on, Octy. What's wrong? We're not at the other site yet."  
Octavius cracked a smile at Jedediah and shook his head. "Hey, show me some respect. I'm older than you, idiot."   
"Oh, you wanna say that I should respect you because you're a poor, old man?"  
"I didn't say _that_."  
"You did~"  
Octavius laughed loudly and sighed when he got himself together again.   
"Well, then. If you call me an old man, I'm going to call you a little bit different, too. Right, sidus?"  
Jedediah chuckled, and they obviously had forgotten that they want to enter the weird room where even weirder light came from.   
"Now you insulted me, didn't you?"  
"I won't tell you that, sidus."

When they arrived, after some talking and Jedediah trying to persuade Octavius into telling him what sidus meant, both were confused as hell.   
There was a big thing, and voices could be heard from that thing, as well as some weird light. Ahkmenrah, Larry, Attila, Nicky and... well, Dexter, sat there and stared at it.  
Octavius snorted again, and suddenly, someone seemed to notice them.   
Ahkmenrah somehow recognized the sounds that Octavius made, and looked down to them.   
"Hey, we have guests for our... uh.. movie evening? Is that right?" he said-asked, first towards them, then he turned his head to Larry.   
"Ah, movies!" Jedediah shouted, placing a hand on his forehead. "I remember hearing 'bout 'em! But not in colour. That's new."  
Octavius still looked confused, and now he searched help through Jedediah, but the blonde cowboy already decided that they should watch with them and soon, Larry stood up to pick them up from the floor and let them down on the highest part of the bench.   
Octavius could just lean against something to be comfortable, and he closes his eyes, listening to the things that happen in that "movie".  
Sometimes, he got scared and then hit his head at his lean, and Jedediah always giggled.   
Then, once, the Roman looked to his left and frowned when he saw that Jedediah had taken down his hat.   
Almost sighing, what would mean that he would interrupt the almost calming voices and noises from that thing with the movie, he started to open his helmet and then his breastplate, putting them down next to him. He felt Jedediah's staring, but ignored it, closed his eyes again, and enjoyed the movie in this way.   
"Hey, shh, pal," Jedediah tried to get his attention, and Octavius slowly opened his eyes, staring at him.   
"You took your armor off. And uh - I think you didn't understand that you watch movies."  
"Oh" was the only thing he could bring out, looking at that big thing in front of them.   
"And I..."  
Octavius cleared his throat to talk more quiet so that Jed would understand him, but the others not.   
"Armor is just uncomfortable. I remember how much weight those things could have."  
"Well, I feel uncomfortable," Jedediah sighed dramatically.   
"You stole the rest of our backrest, so I have to get a different idea," he whispered then and slowly turned around, while Octavius looked at him, confused and waiting  
They weren't focusing on the movie anymore, only on each other at the moment.

Suddenly, Jedediah let himself fall backwards. The way he turned his body made it possible that he landed, comfortable, with a part of his back and his head, on Octavius' lap.   
He looked up with a cheeky grin, while the deep red cheeks and the surprised but also flustered glare amused him even more. He himself blushed aswell, but tried to handle it down, like always. But this time, his heart was almost hurting when he started to begin his joke.   
"Look, Ockie, I fell for ya," he tried to say confident and with a sarcastic voice, but his glare seemed to tell other stories, that was possible to recognize in Octavius' almost burning eyes.   
"And you catched me pretty well."  
The Roman still kept his hands up in the air when Jedediah turned around embarrassed, watching the film.   
He slowly bit his lip and put down his hands close to Jed's body.   
He was lying in his lap.   
Octavius gasped and tried to calm down, but his mind had different plans.   
He slowly started to move his hand towards Jed's hair, starting to stroke it carefully and still calm on the outside.   
At first, Jedediah wanted to slap his hand away, but he actually liked that kind of treatment.   
His original plan was to play sleeping and pretend to wake up from Octavius' touching, but the careful way Octavius stroke his hair almost affectionately, made him tired for real. He couldn't keep his eyes open more and more, and Octavius' became more comfortable, too.

He couldn't help but fall asleep. 


	3. 3rd December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for my weird head spitting some fluff out
> 
> I'm usually not doing that so enjoy

When Jedediah came to life, he already knew that this night would be horrible for him, since he'd be drowning in thoughts. And he was right.   
Oh, he was _completely_ right.

After that what had happened a day before, he really wasn't ready to face his thoughts or questions about the fact that he well asleep while lying in Octavius' lap.

Well, what should he answer? He was wondering about that himself, and now those people would want an answer as well.

How could he talk with people about a question that he still couldn't answer alone? How could he even speak about it, like, at all? It was embarrassing. An accident, maybe. What was there to talk about, anyways?

Actually, and Jed knew and kinda accepted it, there was much to talk about. Why did it even _happen_? He wasn't exactly tired, so... Jedediah didn't even have any clue how he could explain that experience.

He was sure, that he had never felt the way he did in that moment before. It was a moment of peace, and while some noises came from the movie, he was so close to Octavius, and the Roman didn't care. It was comfortable, he could feel the other's warmth that he didn't know it existed, and didn't seem forced or anything, even if it came from some bad joke that Jedediah couldn't hold back. It was almost as if he just surprised Octavius too much, nothing else.

But Octavius obviously didn't care about that, he just blushed really hard, and Jed even thought that it was cute. But he was shocked, when his friend started touching him. That's the point where his first argument died.

Wait, wait, wait, did he say cute?

Octavius would punch him (playfully) for calling him cute, he knew that pretty well, so he tried to push that thought away.

And he even tried to tell himself that he didn't try to push it away because it scared him to think like this. No, of course not. He was just trying to avoid being slapped.

Octavius was just a friend, nothing else, he told himself, shaking his head in disbelieve in his own thoughts.

Jedediah found himself biting his lip, being too thoughtful.   
Well, more thoughtful than usually, at least.

Could someone be too thoughtful, though? He wasn't sure. In the exact same way he wasn't sure about that experience with Octavius.

But he tried to stop thinking about that, he really did. Especially when his thoughts turned into a way more weird direction when he used the words "experience with Octavius".

And he didn't even really know why he was thinking like that.

What was wrong with him?

Why did his heart ache when he was thinking about Octavius or, to be specific, _that_ situation?

Why did he even fall asleep? He didn't want to. He wanted Octavius to stop stroking his hair, so he played being asleep to play waking up because of him. He ruined it all.

Now, Jedediah was getting angry at Octavius for a reason that was ridiculous. Jed shook his head, rolled his eyes, and tried to get his thoughts straight. This chaos of feelings wasn't Octavius' fault.

Well. Only a bit, but not enough to be angry at him.

Going on, he knew, that he, while pretending to be asleep, actually fell into sleep, without really wanting or planning it. He didn't even think that it could happen at all.

Octavius had to have magical fingers that they turn around Jedediah's wants too fast, and could turn pretending into reality. Yeah. _That's it._  
Sure, this unbelievable magic stuff wasn't enough explanation to drop the topic in his mind.

Maybe Jedediah should admit that he just felt _foreign_ things for the Roman. Things he couldn't explain.

But to admit that, he needed more hints. It was too early to scream anything around.

Well, he also found himself wondering then, if he would admit that, like, at all.

He couldn't know how the other cowboys or other exhibits, or even Larry, would react to this. He didn't even know how Octavius would react.

Oh, god. Octavius somehow became a big part of his mind. One of the only things he really was thinking about, not throwing it aside.

Oh, why couldn't he just come through with his original plan? It would've been less messy and he wouldn't stand there, thinking about his feelings.

Which _feelings_ , actually? Octavius was a friend.

Nothing more, nothing less, just that.

Jedediah sighed and took his hat off to play around with it a little bit. It helped him to calm down, well, at least a bit. He just couldn't come to a clear result. It didn't matter which way he chose, it was getting worse and worse.

And he _absolutely_ wanted to do something with the Roman, but at the other side, he really didn't. This was confusing and he really wanted it to stop, to be honest.

There was a good feeling in the end. His heart raced a bit and a weird, but still somehow comfortable warmth was in his chest, relaxing there.

He never felt this way before, too.

At least he didn't remember such a weird two-sided feeling.

And somehow, Jedediah even started to smile, but kept it down, when he thought about Octavius again.

He hoped that the Roman would come to his diorama this night, after their little problems a day before.

So, he promised Octavius that they would do something on every day of December. And he was going to keep his word, even if he had some certain problems with his thoughts.

Maybe Octavius had to live with him like that, a thoughtful, not really being in reality and silent Jedediah.

That's just not fitting. Something was wrong with his psyche, but what could it be? The racing heart, the dorky smile, the desperation?

Jedediah shook his head and bit his lip, again. To his luck, he was relaxing at one little corner of the diorama, so that he could think alone.

Well, "relaxing". He wasn't _actually_ relaxing, he was tensing even more.

Especially when he suddenly could see Octavius close to the diorama.

His heart then really celebrated a party, and Jed had to think about the warmth that Octavius had, at least yesterday, the way how he stroked his hair.

So peaceful, with no making fun or danger in it. It was gentle and genuine, and that was, when Jedediah fell asleep.

The peace that Octavius effected in him made him relax all the tension he had sometimes when they were walking around.

Jedediah decided to pull it away, so that he could look confident when he started walking into a place where Octavius could see him perfectly.

And he did, Jedediah realized. He looked up, searching for his cowboy friend, a bit of (usually) hidden concern in his eyes, until he found Jed.

He waved at him.   
"Hey, are you coming down here?" he shouted and Jedediah still bit his lip, looking around.

Should he really? Maybe he should just say that he didn't want it anymore.

But that was something he couldn't do to Octavius, he realized.

So, he nodded and went down on their fastest way, so that he was closer to the Roman again, who obviously got scared by Jedediah's sudden arrival.

"So, what's up today?"

The cowboy was way more than just surprised that he sounded so confident and so normal, that Octavius caught the question without the nervousity behind it.

"Uh... I don't know, it's pretty quiet around the museum because yesterday was pretty exhausting. How about a little story-telling round? I know that it's maybe boring for you. It's just something we could do."

Jedediah smiled cheeky and raised an eyebrow, slowly feeling better. Octavius made him feel better.

"What, you wanna beat ol' Jedediah in telling stories? You'll loose this, my friend."

Octavius just rolled his eyes and shook his head in unreal disappointment. "You're unbelievable," he said overdramatic with a funny sound in his voice.

Jedediah cracked a little laugh, again, and couldn't stop looking at Octavius, who stared back. Their eyes seemed to be locked together, but none of them was bothered by that.

"Let's just stay here a bit," Octavius whispered into the tension and lowered his body to the ground, looking up to the cowboy when he arrived.

Jedediah chuckled. "Too lazy to move anywhere else?" he mocked-asked, but sat down, too.   
"So, who starts this?"

"May I?" Octavius offered, leaning against the wall that lead up to their dioramas.

"Do what you can do, pal."  
"You'll see, sidus. I just need to think of something that fits into the topic."  
"I'm still wondering if sidus is an insult."  
"You'll know it one day."

Jedediah just wanted to answer something, but Octavius stopped him.

"I have improvised one," he said and grinned slightly.   
"It's about a girl. She is-"

"Don't tell me everything. Jus' start your story."

Octavius' grin faded a little bit. "It's only improvised to some point..."  
"I'll make the rest, then! That's great. So we're doing a story together," Jedediah meant enthusiastic, and the Roman agreed quickly.

"So... It was a cold day in December. Snow fell from the sky, and it wouldn't even stop anymore. A young girl, her name was Cara and she was 15, was outside, standing in the snow, staring up to the sky. Sometimes, some snow flakes flew into Cara's eyes, and she was grinning very wide.   
But then, she saw something blinking in the, from snow white, bushes. Sure, Cara knew, that her curiousity was dangerous and too much. But she still looked after that blinking.  
The girl found a little brown and black chest what was a contrast to the white wonderlands that were created by the snow.   
When she opened the chest, it had a weird but beautiful blue light in it, without any hint to the cause of this light.   
But that didn't catch her interest dir really long, because she saw the big blue necklace in there. Maybe, Cara thought, the light came from the necklace. It wasn't completely blue, though. Only the big stone in the middle was, and when she took it out of there, the chest disappeared suddenly.   
That's when everything started to go down, because, a few moments later, she could see that the snow was forming a creature, big, but with pretty curves of a normal woman, and with long hair that got blown around by the wind.   
She stood there, staring at Cara, and the 15 year old had to realize who this person was - her girlfriend that had died during a terrible attack from unknown murderers. She had cried for her really long and many times... Now, she was just there, standing in front of Cara, and she seemed desperate at the way Cara looked at her. As if she was a stranger.  
Slowly, her arm went up and a little "help" escaped into the wind.   
She was a snow creature, Cara knew. That's when her heart skipped a beat..."

Octavius seemed to pant at Jedediah's closeness that was existing since he started the story. Probably because he talked a bit dreamy and quiet.

Jedediah really liked the way Octavius talked, so he wanted to hear more and he leaned forward a bit, waiting. But then, he realized, that Octavius didn't plan anything else.

Jedediah frowned when he went through the things that happened, again. Girlfriend. That Cara was in love with a girl while being a girl herself. So... that's normal?

Octavius closed his eyes, leaned in a bit, and opened them again after a deep sigh.

Jedediah understood, and he started with a cheeky smile.   
"Yeah, a snow creature. But she, Tiana, was still as beautiful as before. So beautiful, that Cara had the need to kiss her big love. Actually, she wasn't that corny - but she could use it now."

The cowboy felt, that Octavius put his hands at Jed's shoulders. They stared into each other's eyes, not knowing what would happen, but Octavius himself seemed unsure.

"So, Cara remembered their happy times together, as a couple," Jedediah said, feeling pressure in his heart. He couldn't do this, could he?   
_No, no. Not now. Not like this._   
Still, Jedediah decided to go on, improvising a quick end to the story.  
"And she went to the snow creature to take her unreal face into her hands, so that she could place a little, gentle kiss on her lips.   
This is when the blue stone started to glow even more. Cara knew about this magic: When she found those necklaces, she had one choice thanks to one necklace.   
Her wish was Tiana's return.   
And suddenly, Cara saw how her beautiful girlfriend slowly looked like a human again, more and more, more and more and more, just until she looked perfect again."

Shit, they were so close.

Unbelievable close.

Their breaths were almost tickling each other when Jed needed to destroy everything this time by taking some closeness away and lowering his head.

"We shouldn't be so close to each other."


	4. 4th December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I going to hell because this is bad

They stood there, both thoughtful, smiling just a bit.   
Octavius closed his eyes and leaned more against the wall than before.   
He's been thinking of things they could do, and he had some ideas.

But he got surprised when he started thinking of sneaking out. Jedediah did mention it and obviously wanted to do it, but he didn't take the offer.

And he wouldn't do it now, because Larry told them to stay inside so that no accident could happen.   
And Octavius was afraid of the pure thought of dying at all, even if it would be "only", fading to dust then.

Even if they would go out there, he wouldn't be happy or feel free because of those things. They couldn't get back so fast, except Jedediah was able to drive fast and without any accidents, what was difficult sometimes.

But their car rides were something that could cut off Octavius' negative thoughts at least some time.   
Sadly, it wouldn't help against his worry when they went out there.

Octavius sighed inside of himself and needed to keep another smile down, when his mind suddenly centered around their tries to drive a car without completely destroying everything.

Maybe they would start with a car ride, that was obviously enough for his already dying nerves.

Not that anything or anyone was annoying, just the fact, that Jedediah maybe turned him down, but still was obviously as effected of them being close to each other as Octavius himself was... It didn't annoy or worry him either, it was just too much for his calmness, so he wasn't really calm anymore.

Octavius hated to loose control over something, especially when it was his mind or his body. If he would start doing unbelievable things, he'd be hating it afterwards. At least usually.

And he couldn't control the sunrise, or his growing feelings for Jedediah. But that was okay, right? The nature shouldn't be that controlled, and those feels were okay, too.

Maybe a bit unpractical since they made his heart ache at certain moments, like the ones where he was close to Jed, and let his anxiety after coming to life grow even more.

Jedediah had been the center of his anxiety for quite a long time without himself realizing it.

He was afraid of loosing control and also afraid of loosing someone that's so important to him. Jedediah was a person like that.

The Roman looked at the cowboy and sighed, tried and succeeded cutting off those thoughts.

"Alright. We should do something fun."

...

Octavius sat down into the car and closed the door, smiling like a little child. This was his idea, and he was glad about that fact. He wanted to surprise Jedediah, and he did, because the cowboy thought that the Roman wouldn't want to drive again after their little accident because it was pretty clear how ashamed he was of it.

"That you leave the driving to me... What's this? A threat?" Jedediah said and laughed, but Octavius made a weird face and shrugged.

"I will take the wheel if you fuck up."

"Fuck up? Me? Kemosabe, I'm disappointed. Why would you even think 'bout it? And since when do you know 'fuck up'?"

Octavius rolled his eyes but laughed. "I know many Latin insults, sidus. But I learned 'fuck up' only for you," he said dramatically, but couldn't hold a laugh back.   
"Damn it," Jedediah chuckled then, "Now I'm even more sure that sidus is an insult."

 _Actually,_ Octavius thought, _it's a compliment..._

He shook his head, banning the thought that he was complimenting Jedediah all the time, and grinned weirdly to hide his concern.

"Will you start or do I already have to take the wheel right now?" the Roman meant to break the short silence.   
"And how would you want to do this? I ain't leaving this seat," the cowboy protested immediately.

"Do I look like I care if you sit there or not? I would get you out of control somehow, with every device," Octavius mocked, snapping against the cowboy's hat.

He didn't realize what exactly Jedediah understood in that moment until the cowboy himself stared at him with widened eyes and kinda red cheeks.   
"What?"

 _Oh, Jupiter, help me._  
"Nevermind," Octavius said, avoiding other questions. How could this go into a weird direction so fast? And how could Jedediah just unterstand him so wrong at all?

Octavius didn't want to hit on Jedediah, but somehow, he sounded as if he wanted it.

"No, we ain't just forgetting this Ockie," Jed then meant and frowned, "You just hit on me."

"What? I didn't. You just understood it wrong."  
Octavius smiled, even if he didn't felt like smiling, but he wanted to leave this topic behind, so he also added shaking his head. "I need to improve my jokes, hm?"

Jedediah didn't seem to believe him, Octavius saw that in his eyes, and the cowboy couldn't let this be.   
At least he started that car, but he opened his mouth.

"I don't believe you, but maybe you meant that serious, so..."  
He smiled slightly and made himself ready to start driving.   
"You'll see, you won't have to stop me."

...

Octavius immediately wanted to slap Jed for that promise.

Because... well, the cowboy managed to almost-crash two times in a few minutes, while they drove around the room, but then, he started to drive out of the diorama room, so that he almost crashed into the wall because of that curve that he had to drive.   
His hat flew away, and it flew exactly into Octavius' face, so that he could take and hold it for Jed.

Jedediah then almost lost control at the next curve, yelling and laughing at Octavius while driving, and the Roman couldn't hold his adrenaline down anymore.

He put the hat down and gripped his own helmet that was forgetting it's place and sliding down on his face to take his sight.

Jedediah somehow saw that he had to hold his helmet up and took one hand from the wheel to slap the Roman's away, so that his helmet went down, doing what it couldn't stop to do.   
"Jedediah!" Octavius screamed and slapped around him, hitting Jed's arm, but the cowboy didn't care and became even faster.

It was dark, too dark. But thanks to the speed that they were reaching, he didn't believe that doing anything else than sitting there and gripping hardly into the seat would be stupid.   
"Jed-" he started, gasping for air, especially when the cowboy slidered through curves as if he had to win a race.

That pressed all air out of his lungs, and he longed for new air, but Jedediah didn't slow down.   
"Yeehaw!" he screamed loudly and laughed, so that, even if Octavius was angry for that blind-drive that he had to experience, he couldn't stop laughing and screaming exited while Jed did.

"You're _insane_!" Octavius tried to shout, but again, Jedediah speeded up even more. "This won't end well!"

"I don't understand you, pal!" the cowboy laughed and wouldn't stop driving. He didn't even think about stopping, and Octavius slowly got panic.

He _obviously_ didn't like to loose control.

Jedediah realized this because of Octavius' little tries to get his helmet up again, but it made him grin weirdly even more. He had the Roman in his hand right in that moment.

And he was right, Octavius hated that situation because he was blind, and he could only hear things, but that wouldn't help if Jed lost control or drove totally insane.

"Sidus!" he screamed, trying it in Latin. Jed usually knew that he should stop when Octavius dropped either the f word or Latin on him, but this time, he had to much fun in mocking the Roman general.

"Merda!" Octavius started cursing loudly and then felt his body being thrown around by a curve again.   
"Where the fuck are you driving?" he asked immediately, when he could breathe better. And so, there was the Latin and the F bomb in once, but Jedediah ignored it.   
"Woohoo! Come on, Octopus!"

Then, he heard a hiss from Jedediah, as if he just saw something that he ignored or missed before.   
And even if he stayed perfectly silent after that, Octavius panicked even more.

"I can't see anything!" he screamed and hissed himself when he heard a little crack in Jed's voice.  
"Well, your problem-"

And then, realization hit him. Jedediah did something. Or was seeing that _they_ were screwed.

"Jed, no!"

"Ooooh-"

And suddenly, his air was gone again, when the cowboy used the brake way to harsh and all of the sudden, while turning the car to the side.   
They slidered over the ground, both screaming, but the car became slower and slower.

And to their really big luck, like in all those other cases like this, the car stopped without them crashing into anything.

Octavius didn't realize that he had gripped onto Jed's right leg while they stopped, but he did.   
And when he was able to breathe again, not getting pressed out by those curves and stops, he immediately took this hand back, and he heard Jedediah whimpering relieved for a moment.

Also very fast, Octavius lifted his hands and took his helmet off, blinking and shaking his head before putting the helmet down to Jed's hat.   
He looked to his right, seeing that they were in the diorama room again.

Octavius was still panting and trying to realize what just happened.

"Jedediah," he said, and it was threatening, _angry_.   
"Don't kill me, please," the cowboy said, being half funny half serious.

The Roman turned around to Jedediah and looked at him, almost scanning. And then he realized, that, when he let go of Jed's leg, he had whimpered once.   
"Are you okay? I grabbed your leg pretty harsh," Octavius said and caused Jedediah to lean back a little bit more relaxed.

"I thought you gonna kill me and then this... I'm fine though," he said, closing his eyes, still panting a bit.   
But when Octavius took the cowboys hair from the ground, grinning creepy, he became scared.

"So, sidus... You wouldn't help me, so I have to give you some consequences, right? Stay. I'm going to mess with you, yeah? In case that you don't understand the joke again."

Jedediah bit his lip and stared at Octavius pretty much, so that the Roman's grin grew even bigger.   
He kinda stood up, as much as he could in that car, so that he leaned over to Jedediah.

The cowboy kinda blushed at his friend's closeness, especially when he seemed to be right over him. But Octavius, the cowboy's hat in his right hand, didn't care.

He was angry, and he showed that when he took a lot of power into his hand and bitch-slapped Jedediah in his face with his own hat, muttering " _es mundus excrementi_ " while having a cold-as-ice face.

Jedediah didn't know why, but even if he got slapped, and it hurt, he couldn't hold back a laugh.   
"Now, _that_ was an insult."

Octavius put down the hat on Jedediah's head, growling something, then moving away from him again.   
"Now you're right."

He kept the face until Jedediah looked at him, being concerned and confused about Octavius' reaction.   
Then, he started to chuckle and shake his head, what immediately invited the cowboy to laugh with him   
"See, you took that absolutely serious punishment really well."

"Hmm-hmm. As what did you insult me though?"  
The Roman cracked up completely. "A pile of shit."

...

When Jed (this time more controlled, his fucking cheek still hurt) drove them back to the dioramas, it was the first time without anything awkward that happened. They had fun, messed around, and well, that slap was some awkward shit, especially since it looked as if Octavius would start to please him, but it wasn't brought up again, so they both didn't care.

Octavius smiled at Jedediah when they both stood outside the car.   
"Surprisingly, you can actually drive like a sane person."

Jedediah smiled even more and really geniune, really honest.

"Well, but it would be really boring to just drive like a sane person all the time, right?"


	5. 5th December

Octavius couldn't explain how they got there.

They were in the museum and everything was well, for sure.   
But his racing heart at Jedediah's shocked and deep red face made him wanting to overthink some things that just happened.

They just wanted to play a funny game, nothing special, but with each other.  
They played Hide and Seek or something like that, Octavius remembered.   
But now, his soldier reflexes had thrown them into this situation.

Jedediah had attacked him from behind just for fun, but being attacked from the back already had been freaking him out when he was a normal human, because those attacks are the most dangerous, for sure. You can't see who's behind you - and how many or how good weapons he has. And he never had someone who scared him for fun until now - so Jedediah was new for him on even more things.

So, going on about the attacks from behind, he had learned something against it, and it truly became a reflex to him, grabbing the attacking person's shoulders after turning around really quick, staring into the other's eyes with a cold-as-ice glare, throwing the attacker to the hard ground.

And then, he sat down on the person, giving his heavy weigh through the armor one more right to exist, and killed him, most likely through strangling his victim. This time, his armor wasn't really heavy, though.

And still, his hands were at Jed's throat, pushing slightly against the weirdly warm skin of his neck, while he pinned the cowboy down, who was too perplexed and unprepared for this too move, down with his whole, but still little body weight.

And this wasn't even the worst thing.   
The worst was, that Larry saw all of this, and he also saw Octavius' confused face, but wasn't able to say anything.

The Roman thought about the accident again, even if he should do something and not continue to sit on Jedediah's body. But he was too surprised and confused to think clear.

Jedediah had smiled at him really genuine and lovely, almost too handsome for Octavius to pay attention on the cowboy's actual questions.

He still was pretty, and his cheeks were red now, his eyes widened. Octavius' glare wandered around, and that was when he noticed that his hands still were around Jedediah's throat, he slowly took them away, hearing the other one gasping relieved.

This had to be really scary for him, since the Roman was his friend and now, his pretty rough hands had been at his throat.

The blushing came from the embarrassing situation in general - Octavius, sitting on him, hands around his throat, and Larry saw it like that, saw it happening, even if his throat was free now.

Maybe it just looked like a fight, and he was thinking too much. Thinking, that it looked like something else.

"Guys-" Larry then started way too shocked, gave up, and started again, what gave Jed's thoughts even more power, and made his red cheeks more red.   
"Are you... are you okay there?"

"Y-Yes," the cowboy said, embarrassed, while Octavius still seemed to have no plan what was going on exactly.

And Jedediah found deep inside his mind this little opinion, really little, but still growing stronger.

In general, he didn't mind that Octavius sat on him. It was okay since he trusted him pretty much.

That realization threw Jed into a status of awe. This kind of acceptance was new to him, because he never really liked to be touched.

Maybe this was what he saw as the embarrassing part, this new acceptance, especially, since Octavius obviously had some problems with being touched from behind. He didn't even attack him - he placed his hand on the Roman's shoulders and shouted a "yeehaw, cowboy" into his ears, but he immediately reacted with throwing him on the ground, pinning him down, taking all of his defend through the shock.

Then why was it okay to Jed, that Octavius stayed where he was?

 _He's confused enough,_ Jedediah thought when he looked into the other's warm, brown eyes.   
_Yeah, that's the reason._

Then, suddenly, Octavius stood up from him and he took a deep breath, again, before he sat up.

"Some accident," the Roman played off weirdly calm and hold his hand out to Jedediah who still sat on the ground. "Don't be worried."

When the cowboy realized, that Octavius was talking to Larry while he took his hand, he blushed again.   
Right, Larry still stood there.

Feeling ashamed, Jedediah straightened his clothings a bit, looking up to the nightguard, hoping that his cheeks would finally loose some of the red, but they obviously didn't want to.

...

After Larry had made sure that nothing else would happen (no old or next-step-new moves) and that they truly are okay, he left, obviously completely confused, more than Octavius or Jedediah themselves.

Well, Octavius came close with his confusion. At least he remembered how they got into that situation.

They've been talking about the things they could too, but instead of listening to Jed's words, he'd been staring at him all the time, and the cowboy did realize that. He tried to talk Octavius into coming to the bar in his diorama with him, but that was when the Roman came back into reality to deny that offer.

But they still started walking, and Jedediah walked slowly, so that he could scare Octavius a little bit, and on a peaceful way.

And that's where everything went wrong.

"I gonna need a drink," Jedediah muttered, shaking his head, slowly stopping to blush.  
"Well, we now officially seem to be the masters of awkward situations.   
I need one too, though."

When he heard that, Jed was more cheerful again. "So, you come with me?"

Octavius grinned shortly, raising an eyebrow. "Will I regret my choice if I do?"

"Well, only, if you ain't lookin' forward to loose a certain drinking competition."

...

 _Damn it,_ Jedediah thought suddenly, _he's good at it._

He really was, and the cowboy asked himself if the Romans often were drinking, too. Probably, if it weren't like that, Octavius wouldn't have agreed. He would never do anything that would effect his pride in a bad way, right?

Or maybe he was a natural talent, but Jedediah thought that the other possible reason sounded more real.

"You fuckin' asshole," Jedediah cursed at Octavius, already sounding quite drunk. "Couldn't warn me before I dare doing this with ya, hm?"   
"Sidus," Octavius answered, sounding more sane than the cowboy himself, and it mocked him. Octavius mocked him.   
"You sound really drunk, you might want to quit?"  
"That'd be perfect for ya, eh? Nah, ain't seeing that happening, partner," Jedediah fired back, drinking more of his beer, while the Roman stared at him, amused, completely calm.

The only sign that Octavius was pretty drunk, too, were his red cheeks, that seem to be something that just came with it.

"Ya know," he started, pointing at his grinning friend, while ignoring the fact that almost everyone in the bar was staring at them (mostly at Octavius because this was the first time that they saw him in their diorama),"Your cheeks are red. You're drunk as fuck, too," Jedediah ended and chuckled when he saw that the Roman's eyes widened.   
"What?"  
"Yeah, pretty red."

But after some moments of shock, Octavius just drank his beer and sighed when he finished.   
"Ah-ah," the cowboy said, grinning. "You ain't saying something 'bout that? Disappointing, Ockie."

"You're even worse when you're drunk," his friend mocked and shook his head, bending forward to snap at Jedediah's hat.   
"Yeah, yeah, shut up. You look like a child. Cute, but a child. With your rosy little cheeks," the cowboy mocked back with effect, because Octavius' eyes widened a bit in surprise. He was still rising an eyebrow at Jed.   
"Cute? I'm not _cute_."  
"Oh, pal _, of course not._ You're the strong dream general. Will you catch me if I fall into your strong arms? Ah - you will. You did once."

"Jedediah, everyone in this room is listening because you are really loud."  
"Do I care? No. That's just how I speak."  
Octavius rolled his eyes visibly, but couldn't hold his laughing back after that anymore.   
"Unbelievable," he sighed dramatically, and Jed rolled his eyes this time.

"Unbelievable what?" he asked to keep the mockery up. The Roman bit his lip and was still grinning. The beers were only affecting his clear border between serious and fun, and his cheeks, of course.   
"You. You are the most unbelievable thing."  
"Because I'm so fabulous?"  
"Because you're so stupid."  
"Oh-ho. Mighty Roman general grows claws. Meow."

Another border was crossed now, and Octavius sat up straight again.

"What's wrong? Also - what was wrong earlier today? I wasn't threatening you and you just placed you _ass_ on me, dude."

 _There goes another one_ , Octavius thought and felt his whole face burning. "Jedediah-"  
"Call me Jed. Easy. Or sidus, like you already do. I ain't giving up wondering if it's an insult by the way."  
"Alright, sidus, Jed, whatever. We won't discuss that _here_."  
"But I _want_ to."

He grinned cheeky and leaned forward, while trying to be serious. He found himself giggling in the most (not) masculine way, when Octavius leaned in, too.   
"Who's the child now, cowboy?"

"You. I'm just drunk," Jedediah answered to that, yawning for a little moment, but long enough for causing worry in Octavius.   
"We should stop-"  
"I thought you want to bring our relationship forward?" he said completely serious, but his eyes glimmered mischievous, exposing the joke.

It had an effect, again, and Octavius' heart started to race, trying to find a way out of this.   
"Jedediah, stop jo-"  
"I ain't joking, Ockie," he pressed out, trying hard to hold back his laughing, and he succeeded.

All those glares, confused, questioning, curious, just everything.   
"You _fucking_ -"  
"Oh, Ockie drops the f-bomb, we need to evacuate!"  
"Shut up!" the Roman shouted loud enough to get the people's attention who were completely at the back.

Jedediah stared up to him innocently.   
"This man," Octavius began, mocking, "is just really drunk. Don't believe him anything."  
"So, if I say I think that you are handsome, they don't believe that I think so?" Jedediah asked a bit more quiet, and surprised Octavius in a completely different way.

Still, he decided to close his eyes and sigh instead of answering anything.   
"Come on, sidus, let's get your drunk ass out of this bar."  
"Ya can kiss my ass, partner. Are you my mom or my boyfriend?"  
Octavius rolled his eyes and gave the cowboy a little slap on the neck, but couldn't pretend that being called Jed's boyfriend didn't cause a big chaos inside of him.

"Neither," he laughed, "we're just friends."  
"That's sad," Jedediah babbled almost too unclear to understand, but didn't stop smiling.  
"Well then, pal. Our competition isn't finished yet."  
Octavius shook his head and laughed again, not knowing if he could do anything else than laughing and blushing in that status.   
"I think you are finished. Come on, now, sidus. We can go on for you tomorrow."

"Alright, chill," Jedediah sighed disappointed, waved goodbye at the other cowboys in the bar, but let himself be slowly dragged outside by Octavius.   
But when they just were outside, Jed took the control and pushed his Roman friend to the wall, pinning him this time.

"Don't ya ever stop me from drinking, partner," he whispered, and his body was too close. Way too close.   
Octavius pressed himself even more to the wall when Jed leaned forward to him. Still, he couldn't keep his big mouth shut.

"Why not? What kind of things wait for me, hm?"  
Jedediah grinned a dirty grin and whispered, again.

"Things you can't imagine."

Then, he let the general go, seeing that the sun was rising slowly.

Octavius looked at the drunk cowboy, not wanting to leave him alone like this.

"See you tomorrow," he still said, deciding to leave anyways, and Jedediah even said goodbye back.

That's at least the last thing Octavius heard before he went into his diorama, hands shaking and mind playing with him.


	6. 6th December

Jed came to life, his head feeling extremely numb. He didn't remember everything that went on yesterday, but he knew, that he was drinking with Octavius...

_We're pretty lucky that we can't really have hangovers..._

He still felt not so good, but when he headed towards some of his men, they couldn't stop but grin and that confused Jedediah completely.

"So, that Octavius is your boyfriend?" one of them mocked, and Jed blushed immediately. "What?"  
"Well, you said it yesterday."  
 _Makes sense. Wait, no, it doesn't. Why did I say something like that? I could've mocked him otherwise..._

Jedediah realized that they still stared at him, so he opened his mouth to defend himself, but stopped again.  
He didn't find any words to say, and when he finally did after some moments, it was nothing else than "I was drunk". He then turned around, looking to the edge of the diorama.

"Go visit your boyfriend."  
Jedediah's cheeks turned red and he bit his lip.   
"We're not boyfriends - ah, damn it."

Confused and unsure, Jedediah walked away from them, thoughtful, concerned, all those things at once.

But everything was gone in the moment when he heard Octavius' voice down there, being happy that he showed up.

As fast as possible, giving away his "grace" for that, he came down and soon stood right in front of the Roman, smiling at him.

And suddenly, when he looked at Octavius' face, mostly his cheeks and eyes, he remembered things from the night before.

Octavius had had really red cheeks, and Jed couldn't stop staring at him (his fault, why did he look so adorable with red cheeks and those way too warm brown eyes?) and mocking around, and that's what those two just talked about.

Jedediah put a hand at his head.   
"I was embarrassing yesterday," he said, laughing ashamed, but Octavius just shook his head and looked at him calmly.

"It was fun. We should do that more," he meant and Jedediah frowned, slightly staring at the other one. "I said you were my _boyfriend_."  
He still felt uncomfortable about those things, but his friend's acceptance towards the embarrassing experiences calmed him down, too.   
"You were drunk."

"Well, we've been having many parties lately," Jedediah said with a little grin in his face, what made Octavius chuckle.

"Well, don't you remember the time shortly after Larry started to work here? We had a party every night. This is still harmless. By the way, now that I brought up our dear friend... Larry said he brought something to drink. He told me, that we should try, too."

Jedediah looked closer and saw that Octavius was hiding something behind his back.   
"Oh, sidus, you finally saw that I'm hiding something?" the Roman mocked and Jed rolled his eyes.   
_I've been busy with staring at your face,_ he added inside, but began to raise an eyebrow.

"Alright, don't do that eyebrow thing, it's creeping me out. Here, look, Larry got those for us," Octavius quickly told the cowboy before he gave him a tiny cup, tiny enough so that they could hold it perfectly, while he held a second one in his own hands.

"Ohh, is he tryin' something? Like, because he saw us fighting yesterday? Maybe it's to get us together at once - but hah! We're already doin-"  
"Ah, maybe he just wants to spend some time with us. Come on, does it actually matter? Let's go, sidus," Octavius said cheerful what freaked the cowboy out, since the Roman really wasn't the one who is that cheerful all the time. 

"Feelin' good today Ockie?" Jedediah then asked, still wondering about "sidus". Of course, he could ask some Romans, he had pretty many right next to his diorama, but if it was an insult, Jed didn't really want to hear it, and if he would find out that it's a compliment, what could also be, Octavius would stop calling him that. At least probably, because it embarrassed him.

"Yeah, thanks to you," Octavius answered, being cheeky all of the sudden, causing Jed to smile, way too flirty and ambiguous though, until he realized that thing and pulled it under control again.

"Why don't you just keep that smile?" the Roman asked when Jedediah saw, that they already were walking towards their little car, carrying the cups with themselves.

"Uh..." the cowboy stuttered nervously, biting his lip. Octavius himself rescued him out of this through laughing himself and shaking his head. "Seriously, it's so funny to be around you. It's really making my days - well, I mean, nights - better."

"Thanks, Ockie," Jedediah muttered, feeling a weird and unusual warmth in his chest. "That means really much to me."

They smiled at each other, geniune and really happy.   
Octavius' smile never had been that wide before, Jed noticed suddenly and immediately started wondering since when he was paying attention to the Roman's smiles, but he was, and it made him feel even more better.

"Then, sidus, should we go? We will be late if we stay here longer to look at each other," Octavius meant, half serious, half joking, but Jedediah needed to clear his throat and his smile turned into an awkward one.

"Will you ever tell my what sidus means?" he asked, trying to play off his awkwardness, but Octavius just came closer to him. Way too close - but Jed didn't move. He didn't dare moving in that moment, especially, when the Roman leaned in and watched him closely.

He just backed away with his face a bit, and shortly laughed embarrassed.

"Do you really want to know?" Octavius asked, looking at Jedediah, as if he could look right into his head and read his mind, and it frightened the cowboy. As if Octavius wanted to scare him, so that he wouldn't ask again.

"Y-Yeah," he answered, _really_ wanting to know, even if he was pretty sure that it was an insult, but also wanting to get this done.

Suddenly, that weird tension went, when Octavius quickly backed up and laughed loudly at the ashamed cowboy.

"I won't tell you, though. Maybe one day. But now, we should go."

...

Jedediah listened and they finally started to get into the car and drive towards the big hall to meet Larry there, at least they hoped that he was there.

They were really lucky, because they guessed right - Larry stood there, wearing a scarf, and looking a bit sick.

"Ah, I remember," Octavius suddenly said when Jedediah frowned. "Larry got sick when he played with Nicky in the snow. So he thought that drinking something warm would be good. He brought hot chocolate."  
His glare wandered to the two little cups that were on his lap, and he really couldn't wait to try this, and Jed was curious as well, but first, he made fun of Larry.

"Gigantor got sick! Good that this ain't will happen to us, eh?" Jed meant amused, what made Octavius laugh quietly. "Don't shout that around. We don't know what our bodies are capable of when we're alive. But oh - we aren't even going outside, I _forgot_."

The side glare that Jedediah gave him for that was almost everything Octavius needed, and he now giggled, trying to stop laughing about his cowboy friend, knowing that he would regret that later if he didn't stop there.

So he giggled quiet enough, but Jedediah still knew that he did. He was almost sure how he could take revenge... By revealing the meaning of that precious nickname.   
He just needed to ask a Roman for that - he could even expose him for it, then - but somehow... He wanted to hear it from Octavius himself.

Maybe that was some kind of satisfaction that he needed to have, if he get's to know what sidus meant.   
He somehow wished that it was a compliment, but why would Octavius _compliment_ him? An insult would be some revenge for the pranks that he had to suffer while being friends with the cowboy, so...

 _But hope dies at last,_ Jedediah sighed on the inside, still smiling on the outside.

So, they arrived, and Jedediah stopped the car, leaning back for a moment.

"So, I ain't gettin' anything for my safe driving? That's _sad_ ," he sighed dramatically, and Octavius rolled his eyes. "What do you want, a kiss?"

There, right there, was the first time Jedediah's tongue almost slipped, saying _yes_ right out of it. And he saw some weird kind of hope in Octavius' eyes, too... But still, he laughed and shook his head, rolled his eyes.

"Let's get outta here," he meant, waving around with his hands for a short moment.

"There you are!" Larry meant when they came out of the car and got themselves the other's attention, and Jedediah realized, that he really sounded sick.

"Come up here," he offered, holding out his hand for them, "Some others will come too, you won't mind, right?"  
Jedediah smiled, "Nah, don't worry."

Actually, when they were up on the bench where everything stood ready, they didn't expect Larry to start speaking again, but he did.   
"So, you guys are friendly with each other?"

He took a cup that had been standing on the bench and took a sip while Octavius and Jed looked at each other, not sure who should answer.   
"Yes, we're friends, I think. Why?" Octavius finally brought out of his mouth, looked down at his cup and then and Larry, not knowing how this should work.

"You know, when I saw you yesterday, I really hoped that you weren't actually fighting. Being like this, I can't get anything exhausting done. But when you're saying that you're good now... It's great. And, uh, Octavius - I thought you get a tea cup where I fill in some of the hot chocolate so that you can, like, scoop it with your cups."

Octavius nodded and followed the things that Larry just said while Jedediah seemed to be off the road just to get a bit scared when Ahkmenrah just arrived and sat down next to Larry.   
"You should get some rest," he said, "you don't look healthy."  
But Larry just shook his head and sniffled quietly, even when Teddy and Sacagawea came, telling him the same. "Just can't let you guys alone here."

Octavius wasn't even struggling with his cup, so he soon was able to try it - if it hadn't been for Jedediah, who just took the full cup away from him, leaving him the other one.

And instead of starting to let it get cold a bit, Jedediah just took a sip and regretted it immediately: He burned his tounge.

With a choked noise, he put the cup down and swallowed the drink, but then started to freak out about his hurting tongue.   
Larry laughed at him, like everyone, even himself, but after he had complimented the hot chocolate itself, because it obviously smelled and tasted good, he started to complain again.

"Aaah, it hurts," he murmured quietly, but Octavius, who had the other cup in his hand, filled, but waiting, heard it.

"Should I cool your tongue down for you, hm?" he said cheeky and made Jedediah blush and his tongue almost slip, again.

His mind probably just messed around. At least that's where he stopped.

The night that they spent was wonderful, everyone was talking to each other, and later, Jed drank the most of the hot chocolate, at least for his height.

They also sent Larry home earlier and promised, that everything would be okay in the morning - and they kept that promise, then.

The bigger exhibits that were drinking hot chocolate with them started to get all the evidence away, while Jed and Octavius were allowed to leave and spent the last minutes of the night together.

The Roman had smiled almost anxious when they faced each other for the last time in this night. It frightened Jedediah since it was something completely normal, but obviously, Octavius was scared of becoming a normal miniature again. Or he was scared, that things would be changed over the day.

Or he was just seeing it wrong.

But something that was clear was that his heart raced a lot when Octavius left him - it was hurting a bit, and if they would be... well, together, he would totally say it's that he's missing him like this.

_If they would be together._


	7. 7th December

Octavius stretched his arms and then yawned. 

He was alive for some minutes, but still felt really tired, even if he didn't know what made him so tired, he wasn't doing exhausting things before - well, actually, he wasn't doing anything at all because he wasn't alive.

But still, he felt as if he did many hard things that got his power away - and it made him curious.

 _Probably_ , he thought, _my mind is the exhausting thing._

Because it was absolutely exhausting how he always thought of those nights with Jedediah had been the best yet - and they were only at the seventh night, so he couldn't think of the things that could still happen in the rest of the December.

Maybe even after that, they would still do things together.   
Octavius really hoped that this would happen, since he liked to spend time with Jedediah - and he couldn't even think of the reason they had managed to fight almost every night. It was better like this, and Octavius was glad that it actually was like this.

He stretched and yawned again, hoping that the feeling of being tired would vanish, but it didn't.

Giving up, he just went to one of his friends and asked them if they could lead this while he was gone, and they made a comment on this, but still said yes and let him go.

Octavius went to the edge of his diorama and climbed down to the ground, searching for Jedediah.

He found the cowboy, standing around cluelessly.

"Hey, sidus!" Octavius screamed pretty loud and waved with his hands when his friend turned around and had a little grin on his face.   
Jedediah was laughing too and waved back, starting to walk towards the Roman pretty fast. 

Octavius felt a bit lighter, but still tired, and it annoyed him pretty much. He wanted to be happy and not almost sleeping, especially when he was around Jedediah.

The cowboy came so quick that Octavius almost thought that he would go for a hug - but he stopped pretty fast, smiling, somehow waiting for something, but Octavius didn't know what he could wait for.

"So, what will we do today?" Octavius asked, and Jed shrugged, "I wanted to ask you the same. And hey partner, are you alright? You look tired."  
"I am, but don't worry," the Roman answered then, "This won't hold us back, right?"

Jedediah sighed. "You do know what you should do when you're tired?"  
Now, Octavius rolled his eyes and smiled slightly. "Well, I know, but I don't care. I have better to do. And you have to deal with me like this... Maybe I'll do some weird things, hm?"

"Oh, damn, are you okay, like at all, Ockie? 'Cause you sound insane," Jedediah meant and shook his head overdramatic what made Octavius laugh again.

They leaned against the wall that lead up to their dioramas again and smiled at each other, waiting for the way this conversation would take.

"Are you already freaked out by me, sidus?" Octavius asked innocently, finding his fun in this, too.

Then, Jed shook his head and rolled his eyes, "You ain't freaking me out that fast. I can freak you out when I'm fast enough at the beginning of the night. But I'm not easy to scare."  
"Challenge accepted. Also... when I attacked you back three nights ago, you clearly were-"  
"Ah-ah, shut up. You had your hands around my throat and stared at me as if I was a stranger. I thought you lost your memory or such shit. This ain't counting."a

Octavius laughed quietly.  
"Vacca stulta."

Now, Jedediah's grin became even bigger, and he sighed, " _Now_ that was an insult for sure. What did you say?"

"You stupid cow," Octavius translated, earning a little slap from Jedediah who pretended to be offended by that.

"So, now you only need to tell me what sidus means, then I'm done with that. Taking insults is exhausting, you know..."

"Yeah, yeah," Octavius muttered, and almost sighed for real, feeling tired of himself again, and when he thought that this feel would be about himself, it made more sense.

He would never tell Jed what sidus meant. Or he would do it when they were in a dangerous situation.   
Well, actually, when have they been safe for once? Right now, maybe, but dangers were everywhere.   
He himself learned that, and the actual Octavius, too, he remembered.

"Oh man, you're still hiding it? Soon, I'll just ask your men, Ockie," Jedediah threatened and even if he meant it in a funny way, the Roman needed to gasp shocked.   
They would know what he felt for the cowboy immediately - calling him sidus wasn't that clever, he realized.   
Only one of his men needed to hear _this_ and it was done.

Octavius laughed fake to hide down his worry, but Jedediah, again, realized that it was fake and his eyes widened.  
"How hard do you insult me, pal? You look shocked just because of thinking about me finding out."

He felt trapped - what could he say?   
But then, he realized, that he freaked Jedediah out.

"Ha! You're freaked out by me," Octavius said loudly and laughed truly at Jed's perplexed face, even if it was just to leave that discussion behind.

"Unfair," the cowboy snorted, "You have a name for me and it was about it's meaning, and I just thought you picked the most insulting insult for me."

"Stop talking yourself out of this, you fool," Octavius said, obviously pretending to be annoyed what made Jed laugh more.

"So, what will we do now? I won the game," the Roman asked the cowboy and waited excited.   
Excitement went up in a good and a bad way, when he saw Jedediah's clearly weird grin.

"You freaked me out, now it's my turn. I know something that makes you crazy, and I'm sure that I'll suceed in this."  
Octavius stopped to lean against the wall and looked at Jedediah, raising an eyebrow at his glare.

When nothing happened, the Roman started to laugh about him.   
"Did you try to scare me through saying that you will scare me?" he asked, but gained a "No" for that.   
Then, suddenly, Jed started to walk towards him, stopped and looked around shortly.

His looking around had some kind of secret-lovers feeling, and Octavius felt his heart speed up, but he didn't show it outside. He knew that Jed did this for the "challenge", whatever he was actually doing.

Then, Jedediah started to move again, walking around Octavius, taking the right route, very slowly, so that he was right next to him. But there, he wasn't at the place that he wanted to take in, and Octavius suddenly _knew_ what Jed would do.

 _He remembers that I'm so scared of being touched from behind,_ he realized then, biting his lip.

When he heard that Jedediah stopped walking, Octavius closed his eyes, actually pressed them together, to be specific, while the cowboy waited a few moments.

Then, he leaned forward and placed his hands on Octavius' shoulders with pretty much pressure.

It absolutely made him go full freaked out in the inside, wanting to defend himself, and he already cramped on the outside, but Jed didn't fulfill the challenge yet.

"Oh, am I not close enough?" Jedediah asked, ignoring his own racing heart when he came a few steps closer.   
Octavius had to trust him pretty much, because he did everything he hated, and still stood there, only cramping a bit.

"Actually, you are," Octavius said, somehow still laughing, hoping that he won now.   
Now, you could ask, why he couldn't just give up, so that it would be over...

That was the question he asked himself too, especially when he just held back a flinch at Jedediah's voice that seemed so close now.   
"Then give up."

Suddenly, he realized something: Jed's voice was shaking.   
"Hey, don't do anything you don't want just because of this weird challenge," Octavius said, hoping that he would hold Jedediah back from doing something dumb, but he needed to realize that he didn't in the following moment.

When he realized, what Jedediah would do, it was too late.

The cowboy had found a free place on his neck, and he didn't actually do anything with it, he just leaned forward and breathed, showing, that he was so close to Octavius.

But suddenly, when he felt something else at his skin, without knowing what, he shivered in both ways, blushed because of the good one and jumped away from Jedediah in shock because of the bad one.

He put a hand on his mouth, ashamed of the information that he just got with his reaction and felt how he still blushed all over his face when he turned around to Jedediah again.

The cowboy himself looked effected by this, too, but not as strong as Octavius, for sure.

He had a glare in his eyes that the Roman couldn't understand and it worried him, especially, since Jed didn't even _smile_ , even if he won now.

"I didn't think you'd react like that, but looks like I won," Jedediah then said, smile coming back, as if he read Octavius' thoughts.

Hell, if he could, it would be more embarrassing than it was already.

Octavius thought about the moment it felt good to have him close, to feel his breath at his neck, to feel that something else.

He just wondered if it was imagination all the time, or if Jedediah really did bite him.

It would make sense, since he held through the breathing, and then Jed went to the next step, but his own imagination was annoying him right now.

"Never thought you'd react to biting like that when you actually can get through having someone so close behind you. As a child, I did always bite the other children I fought," he explained, and it made Octavius gulp.

 _Jedediah actually did bite me and I fucking reacted like that,_ he thought, feeling sick, but at least not tired anymore.

"As a child?" Octavius asked with a thin voice, taking his hand down, his cheeks still burning.

"Yeah, uh, no, I mean, I know that about my real self back then, ya'know?" Jedediah stuttered, still staring at Octavius' face, making him even more uncomfortable.

"Hey, Ockie-" he started, but stopped again to walk towards the Roman, so that he could talk a bit more quiet.   
When he reached the place, he stopped and looked into his friend's eyes.   
"Could it be that you... you know, you're blushing and all that, that you like to be... ah, this is _weird_. You know what I want to ask, do you?"

 _That I like to be bitten?,_ Octavius completed in his mind, and his heart raced faster again.   
_And actually..._  
"What? No. Why would I? I'm just surprised about it."  
Jedediah nodded and cracked a smile, but sighed quietly.   
"Ockie-"  
"No, really," he interrupted immediately, "I don't like it. I just blush when I'm surprised, too."  
"Octavius."  
"What?"  
"Let's do something else. Like driving around. Something else that's fun."

Octavius closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he agreed - finally having himself more under control - that they should do something else.

This experience scared him, he wouldn't deny it.

But what also scared him, was Jed's question.

What if he answered with yes? It would've been embarrassing. Right?   
He made the right choice, at least he tried to tell himself that.

But he actually wasn't that sure - for a moment, the truth would've looked better in his mind, but this imagination was nothing that could happen.

He made the right _and_ the wrong choice.

And he hated choices.

Jedediah still smiled at him, and Octavius knew that the cowboy knew, at least had some doubts.   
He really wasn't the best liar, rather one of the bad liars.

He had to accept it in some way.

"Then, come one."  
"Thanks, sidus."  
"For what?"  
"Nothing specific. Just thank you."

He felt Jed's confused glare on his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaah


	8. 8th December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heheh hello there

Octavius was _gone._

He was gone. And Jedediah had no idea where he could be.

He already went into the Roman diorama, got over his worries (they were searching for him, too, and they also were nice to him), but he still was clueless. How could Octavius just vanish without anyone seeing him?

Well, the Romans said that he left to meet Jedediah, but he didn't arrive, and the cowboy was panicking inside, slowly showing it on the outside, too. What could turn him off the way? Someone took him and maybe threw him outside? But why at all? Why would anyone do those things to Octavius? He never really did anything bad to other people.

He clenched his fists and stared at the ground. He wouldn't dare to show or admit how much he's scared to loose Octavius. Especially when he thought that it was his fault.

He maybe crossed an important boundary a night before, and now the Roman is nowhere to be found.

Jedediah felt guilty. He shouldn't have gone so far. But talking about it was impossible, too, especially right now if he had to explain his thoughts to someone around him.

He still stood in the Roman diorama and has been thinking about this topic for some time now, his optimism leaving him part for part.

He lowered his head and tried to fight back his panic. Why was he so worried at all? Octavius could pay attention himself - he would come back for sure, but it still scared him to think of the "what if not".

Yeah, what if Octavius wouldn't come back? What if he was outside?

And suddenly, Jedediah made a choked, surprised noise and started to head towards the edge to leave, when a Roman held him back through grabbing his arm.

"Where are you going?" he asked, letting Jed go, "Do you know where he is?"

And in that moment, when Jedediah thought about that idea again, shortly before telling him, he realized, that they were talking about Octavius.

Octavius would never go out since Larry forbid them to do so. He wouldn't dare to step into that danger just to have stress with Larry after it, if they survived the danger outside.

So, why would he go outside, and even alone? That didn't make any sense.

Demotivated, Jedediah looked down again and lowered his head, his whole body getting into a unsure position.

"No, I ain't," he muttered quietly through his teeth. "I had the guess that he's outside, but he wouldn't dare to do that, so... And I'm even more sure that he wouldn't because he told me many times when I tried to persuade him, and he keeps his word. And listen - I'll look around in the museum a bit, as much as I can see. I'm sure he's around us anywhere. Probably it's just a joke," Jedediah said thoughtfully, bringing up a different idea.

After the Roman he had talked to said goodbye and spoke out that he really hoped for their general's return, Jedediah started to quickly get out of the diorama so that he could search, even if he didn't see so much when it came to the things that were higher up. But Octavius couldn't be high up, since they were almost at the same height, so Octavius had the same problems like Jedediah.

I will find him, he said, taking deep breaths. And if I won't, I'll... I'll... I..."

Jedediah shook his head and put a hand at his forehead.   
"I need to calm down," he started, talking with himself, but it didn't bother anyone, since no one was pretty close to him.

"He's probably sitting somewhere, quite well, and probably wanting some privacy, nothing else. He just used our meetings as excuse to go, yeah." 

This thinking wasn't really helpful, Jedediah knew and sighed, looking at his shaking hands.

He was panicking because his pal was missing, and it sounded so weird to him.   
_Do you actually feel like this when the person is your pal? Nah, actually not._

It felt as if he was missing _half of his heart._

He didn't even knew that he had been walking again, and at that thought, he stopped again.

He just refferred to Octavius as "half of his heart".

It felt like that, really. His heart hurt and felt as if it longed after something, and his breaths were short and anxious because it would be the worst to loose him. 

But what this feeling meant was the part that made Jedediah worry.   
He thought about Octavius in that way, he did something in that way last night, and he felt about him in that way.

But was that way even possible, was it real? They've been fighting for such a long time - how could those feelings develope so fast? Why did he feel so afraid just because he couldn't find him? It's been only one week since they started to do more together.

Jedediah was confused and gulped to try getting something done, finding a certain Roman for example, but he remained there, wanting answers for bis questions.

Could he actually love Octavius? Like, really love him? And should he tell him or rather not?

Jedediah at least got one answer for one of those questions. He wouldn't tell Octavius one word about it.  
Maybe when he had the feeling that the Roman saw it in the same way - that said, suddenly, after all those Sometimes critical things that happened, he found reasons why it could be that they actually love each other - and it made him happier, but also more worried.

He really needed to find him or one of his worst nightmares would come true, taking most of his joy - he would loose Octavius. Avoiding this nightmare felt so simple and it sounded simple, but actually doing the right thing to avoid that case was unbelievable hard.

For example that what happened a night before - he did what he thought was a funny idea to freak him out a bit, but it obviously effected both of them more than it should, and now Octavius was gone.

He shook his head, forced himself into going on with walking and searching for possible hiding places where he could be. He really tried but couldn't see him or anything that have clues to him at all.

"Ockie! Octavius! Where are you?" he shouted desperately through the whole room, but there was no response, just some annoyed shouts from others back to him for being so _noisy_ right now.

Jedediah snorted at them and became angry in not even one minute.   
"He's _gone_ , damn it. He could _die_. And then, yeah, then, if it'd be someone you know, you wouldn't like to be around people like yourselves. And damn it, I'm going crazy. They can't even _hear_ me here."

Jedediah closed his eyes, trying to focus on something else, at least a friendlier imagination, but he failed and saw Octavius dying in front of his own eyes again.

_Calm down you coward, Octavius, or better said, his actual self that lived way before this, is even older than you, so he'll be okay. It's just weird that he said he would meet me and then vanished. But he'll be okay. Right._

Jedediah snorted and started to walk faster again, not paying attention to anything anymore.

He hoped that this would help him to concentrate on finding Octavius, just by looking around and sometimes shouting his name. He would even let him alone, then, but he just needed to know where he is. That's the only thing he needed to know right in that moment. He wouldn't ask Octavius any more questions, just that, and for that answer he didn't need to ask anything at all.

Jedediah smiled slightly, and his heart started racing as if it just got reactivated, when he saw something on a bench more far away.

But when he looked clearly, he realized that it was nothing, that he just imagined it.

Unsure, Jedediah remained to look on that height for a moment when he actually saw something on a little windowsill, but he didn't trust that sight until he moved closer.

"Octavius!" Jedediah shouted almost angry.   
He could've said something before he went! Why did he use him as excuse?

 _But wait,_ he slowed himself down, _you didn't have to look for him, either. You were the one worrying too much, see? He's alright. Nothing to worry about. Now, you can go again._

But especially after Jed tried to persuade himself into going, he wanted to get closer even more. He wanted to sit there with Octavius - obviously looking out of the window.

The window wasn't even open, but it was snowing and it seemed to fascinate Octavius in the same way it did on the first December again.

And Jedediah wanted to scare him again, wanted to talk to him again, just wanted to be up there, with him.

So, he decided, he did that.

Jed climbed up to the sill, being powered out when he arrived behing the Roman, but he didn't seem to realize that the cowboy was there, heavily breathing.

"Damn it," Jedediah muttered, holding and then taking a deep breath to get his breathing normal.

He was really nervous when he started to go towards Octavius to sit down next to him, clearing his throat.

As he wanted, Octavius suddenly turned his head to Jedediah because the noise was much closer.

"Oh-" he started, obviously knowing what waited for him.   
"Why didn't you just say that you go here? Man, I was fucking _worried_ about you," Jedediah said not even angry, just not really comfortable.

He also wasn't comfortable with the feelings that he had, but he quickly shoved them away into the back of his mind, clearing his throat again.

"I'm sorry, sidus," Octavius muttered, "I decided out of the sudden."

Jedediah hummed quietly and shrugged, acting as if he didn't care that much, but he still was freaking out about it.  
At least it made sense now that he didn't say anything before coming to this place.

"Needed to think, hm?" the cowboy asked, staring at the snow on the outside.

"You can say that, yes," Octavius meant, shame slightly creeping into his voice.

When he looked to Jed and saw that he wanted to ask something, he reacted immediately and talked before his friend.

"I actually thought about being in the snow. And if we are able to be sick, to be honest, because I saw Larry behind me," the Roman told Jedediah honestly and couldn't help but smile at his friend's frown.

"Oh-oh, Octavius thinks to do something that's forbidden for us? What a rebel," Jedediah chuckled, but still remained curious, because that other question now was creeping around in his head, too.

"Yeah, right?" Octavius said, placing a hand on his own chest, taking an overdramatic, deep breath, "To be honest... I just want you to be sick so that I can laugh about you."  
"What? That just hurts my feelings, Ockie."

They both started to laugh, and they both felt better, even if Octavius was still ashamed about that one thing that happened a night before.

But just in that moment, he was okay with it. They laughed and were happy together, so nothing was wrong, right?

Jedediah sighed, feeling exhausted by climbing up here and then laughing now.

"Ah, you really have to get up here many times. I'm totally exhausted," he then said clearly, and rolled his eyes when Octavius looked at him with a cheeky smile.

"Am I better trained than you, sidus?" he asked, even sounding cheeky.   
"Why, does it belong to the insult that you gave me as a nickname?" Jedediah sneered back and stared at one of the many many many snow flocks falling down, seeming so peaceful.

"Actually, sidus means-"  
And as suddenly as it started, it stopped again.

Jedediah's eyes widened and he looked at Octavius next to him, who started to look into the outside distance, seeming desperate or surprised by himself

"Ah, you know what? I still won't tell you," he then said, the smile coming back, especially when he saw Jedediah's shocked face.

The cowboy rolled his eyes.

"I fucking hate you."  
"Yeah, I hate you too."


	9. 9th December

Jedediah laughed and leaned back, paying his full attention to Octavius.

"Oh, you _must_ be kidding. I went through all the insults that my head gave me, and it has been a lot. How can the meaning sidus not be there?   
Are you sure that you didn't just invent that word to annoy me, Ockie?" he asked then, pretty confused. What meaning could it be?

Maybe it wasn't even an insult, maybe just a normal nickname. Or...  
  
He immediately banned that thought again, but it still had an effect on his heart, making it race and his cheeks went red, too.

The thought of "sidus" being a compliment was so strange to him, that he wanted it to be one.

And that he was thinking like this, at all, was something that made his feelings even more obvious.

He wanted Octavius to compliment him with that nickname. But how likely was that? Not really much, since they were friends.

Just friends, right? There was no weird tension, there were no blushing cheeks and racing hearts. There were No longing glares and those wishes.

There was only friendship.

Jedediah almost laughed at this, seeing how weird he tries to get out of it. But it was true - he was in love.

And his love was for Octavius.

He got ripped out of his thoughts when Octavius made an awkward noise towards him.

"Do you think I'm saying something nasty to you all the time?" he asked quietly and surprised, so that Jedediah's eyes widened and made him shaking his head quickly and immediately.

"Nah, I just thought that it might be no insult, so..." Jedediah confessed, and he was almost sure that he heard Octavius gulp heavily.

"And you think that it means what?" the Roman then started slowly and obviously unsure what made Jedediah actually curious, so that he looked up (he didn't even realized that he had looked down before) and stared at his friend.

"Maybe you called me... l-like something that y-you like yourself. Something like "snow" for example. B-But forget that, it's embarrassing."  
Jedediah couldn't face Octavius anymore when he blushed even more, so that he just stared out of the window.

This time, they sat at the window together, talking with each other and staring at the snow that became even more with every night. Jedediah and Octavius had the idea that this could get one of their places that they would always visit together.

Octavius had gotten way to obviously happy when he heard the word "always". This was when he remembered how all this started:  
They weren't even that close with each other, and they randomly thought that it would be a good idea to spend the nights of December with each other until christmas was there. Maybe, they would do it longer than just Christmas.

This would make Octavius pretty happy, but it would be surprising - he didn't expect Jed to stay through the days until christmas. All those awkward moments, and they didn't even stop. Maybe he wouldn't _want_ to do that.

But right now, Octavius was filled with panic and warmth at one point. He thought, that Jed would accidentally find out what sidus meant just through this, but he felt warm around his heart at the thought that Jedediah took this opportunity, that it's not an insult, in.

Because he couldn't think of a netter answer, Octavius laughed shyly and wanted to look away, but Jed was too interesting for him to look away.

"Snow means nix," he explained and meanwhile thought if he should finally tell Jedediah what it meant, even if he didn't even hide it for a week at this point.

"But..." Octavius muttered, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.   
"It's..."

Jedediah looked up, eyes widened, staring right at him.

Octavius forced a cheeky smile and bit his lip.   
"Maybe I'll tell you tomorrow, sidus."

Jedediah looked disappointed but laughed after that.   
"You really like to do that, hm?"

When he saw the cowboy laughing, the Roman laughed real, too.

"Well then, Ockie. Let's play a game. Ever heard of Truth or Dare?" Jedediah threw in and his grin told Octavius to stay away from this, still, he shook his head and added an "explain it to me, please", not knowing if this was the right or the wrong choice.

"Alright: You have two options when I ask you if you want Truth or Dare. You can choose Truth, and then you need to answer me a question, but you absolutely need to be completely honest. You also are able to choose Dare. Then I have to tell you something that you need to do then.  
When that's done, you ask me Truth or Dare and it's the same over and over again.  
So, you better really overthink your choice, pal. I'm pretty mean at this game."

Octavius raised an eyebrow but smiled slightly, somehow already growing fond of that game idea.

"Who begins?" he asked then and Jed laughed evil.  
"I, of course," the cowboy said and leaned a bit towards Octavius.

"Truth or Dare, Ockie?"

Octavius stared into Jedediah's eyes and grinned. "Truth."

"Hm, well. Because it's you, I'll start kindly. Will you ever tell me what that sidus means?"

"Probably," Octavius said, but Jed shook his head. "Only yes or no."  
"You should have told me that before you idiot," the Roman then muttered amused, "But then, yes. I will tell you."

"What? What do I have to d-"  
"Ah-ah, it's my turn now, sidus."

Jedediah rolled his eyes and sighed playfully.

"Don't you act as if it kills you to wait one round," Octavius meant and then quickly added, "Truth or Dare, you buffoon."

"Dare, of course," Jed answered as if it made him better when he took the dangerous one.

Octavius smiled and leaned a bit against the window, trying to get a dare for the cowboy into this head.

Head, hm... sure!   
"Your hat is pretty easy to wear, huh?"

Jedediah's face was only funny to Octavius, because he actually seemed to know what would come now, especially, when Octavius started to open his helmet.

"Oh, n-"  
"You took dare, sidus. You were warned."

Octavius took the helmet into his hand. "Take your hat off and take this on."

Jedediah groaned. "Can't be that heavy, though."  
He quickly put down his hat and reached forward to grab the roman helmet out of that Roman's hands.

"Oh, _fucking_ hell," he blurted out immediately, sounding completely startled.   
"You want me to wear this on my _head_?"

"No. On your feet, of course. Now, don't be a baby," Octavius sneered, obviously finding this very enjoyable.

"I'm not a baby!" Jedediah protested and then looked at the helmet with a terrified glare, before he put it on and closed it, making an exhausted face.

"Oh, Ockie, how the fuck are you wearing this, like, the whole night?" he asked in awe, and the Roman laughed shortly.

"The original ones were way more heavy. This helmet is actually made of plastic, I think, but it has some certain weight when we're alive, so... It actually feels strange to be without it. But I challenge you to let it on for the whole next round, then you can give it back to me again," Octavius then said smiling, and Jedediah nodded, the helmet almost sliding off his head.

"I actually find the sight of you without your helmet pretty interesting and enjoyable in some way."

And that was when he first appreciated the helmet because it kinda isolated his face, so that Octavius didn't immediately see the blush that creeped around on Jed's face then. 

The Roman himself couldn't help but blushed a bit, too. "Uh, thanks," he said quietly and definitely happy.

"So... Ockie, you asshole, Truth or Dare?" Jedediah asked and stared at Octavius, who still drove the safe route with saying "truth" again.

"Aw, com'on you coward. But okay. So, I'll annoy you otherwise."  
Octavius raised an eyebrow and his heart started racing just out of nowhere, being excited because of this game and Jedediah's thoughtful look.

"Would you..." the cowboy started, and he grinned then, his eyes lightening up. "...kiss me?"

And that was when Octavius thought that his world ended.   
His eyes widened so much that they hurt and he blushed deep red, but now, Jed could see it, and for a little moment, his eyes even wandered to the cowboy's lips.

Sure, he would. But if he said yes, how would Jedediah react to this?   
And when he said no, Jed would know that it's a lie, because Octavius would stutter more than when he said the truth.

And this was when his usual excuse came into his mind again: He had to play with him, and then, telling him that he only did it because he wanted to creep him out. This was what he's been doing for some time now, even if he felt bad during that. He wanted to tell Jedediah the truth, but he feared the actual reaction too much.

So, he leaned forward and stared at Jedediah's eyes, grinning cheeky, muttering a quiet, but sure sounding "yes".

He saw the effect in Jed's eyes that only had a weird look in them anymore, _especially_ when he thought about that answer longer.

"N-Now?" he asked so shy, shaking and quiet, that Octavius could avoid that question, but he didn't.   
"It's my turn to dare or question you now," the Roman said and backed up, then pointing at the helmet.   
"You can give that back. And don't glare like _that_ , it was a joke to freak you out, sidus."

"Oh, damn it Octavius, I'll fucking cut you into pieces if you ever do that again!" the cowboy shouted not even completely angry, but more frustrated about the fact that he fell for the same trick every single time.

"Oh, you won't."  
"Fucking asshole."  
Still, Jedediah opened the helmet, put it off and gave it Octavius. "I'll still stay at my opinion that it makes a more personal feeling between us when that heavy thing isn't on your head."

But Octavius just laughed at the adorable mess that Jed's hair had become through the helmet before he shrugged thoughtfully, his glare wandering down. "You may be right..."

He let his fingers wander over the helmet, feeling a bit awkward without it, but still putting it away to the side.   
"So, my turn, right? Truth or Dare, sidus."

"Truth. My head still hurts because of you."

Octavius smiled and thought for a moment until he found a question that he really wanted to get answered.

He fiddled around with his hands, asking that question.   
"Are you in love with someone right now?" he brought out, seeing Jed frown immediately about that.   
After some moments, the cowboy lowered his head and laughed embarrassed while Octavius spotted something next to him.

"Yes, at least I think so."  
Now, Octavius' glare landed on Jedediah again, and he probably looked as if he would kill the person that Jed was in love with.   
But, still, they stared at each other until the Roman thought about the other thing again.

"Wait, Jed, look, next to you - there is something stuck between the wall and the window."  
"What the fuck Ockie-"

The Roman stood up and walked to that thing, seeing that it was a little piece of wood that somehow got stuck between those two things.

"Let's get that thing out," Octavius meant and put his hands at the piece to pull it, and Jedediah looked at him as if he was insane.   
"We'll never get it outta there, pal."  
But suddenly, it came a step closer and Octavius laughed at the cowboy who then helped pulling it.

"Oooh, I hope it ain't come out with too much force," Jedediah groaned when they put their power into it.   
"How did it even get there?"  
"Dexter, probably. He get's those things everywhere."

And suddenly, a loud snap by the window was heard when the piece of wood shot out with way too much force, what resulted in it overpowering Jed and Octavius and flying right into glass.

"Oh, great."


	10. 10th December

"If Larry wouldn't be sick, we would be _dead_ ," Octavius said amused and worried to Jedediah, who just shrugged smiling.

They were sitting on their little car for most of the night now, talking about what had happened a night before, because Larry only told them today that if this happened a second time, they'd have a certain problem.

They actually destroyed that glass, and Jedediah remained on his opinion that it wasn't their fault because a glass simply shouldn't stand there so easy to hit. That had annoyed Larry even more and made him giving a speech about their behaviour and why it wasn't okay, centering it about Jedediah pretty much.

At the end of it, all Octavius said, was an apology towards Larry and later a mean joke to Jedediah. _I mean, how could you not joke about that? It was hilarious._

Jedediah started laughing with the Roman then, and soon as he started, he couldn't stop anymore.

Octavius then just shook his head amused, especially when he saw that the sun was rising already, interrupting their jokes and laughter.

And suddenly, he felt Jedediah tapping at him, grinning.   
This doesn't mean _anything_ good.

And it didn't, _truly_ not.

"Let's annoy Gigantor even more. We need to do this, and I'm sure it'll be way too fun to let this chance go, even if you already look at me as if you wanna kill me for this idea."

"I will kill you for this. I don't want to spent a night in a locker or something, and I'm sure that you wouldn't want that, too," Octavius meant, and he sounded really avoiding and also scared in some way.

"Are you scared of lockers?" Jedediah asked suddenly, reading this from the look that reigned on Octavius' face in that moment.

"What? No, I'm not. Why would you think that?" Octavius asked completely obvious, his voice sounding thin and unsure, what was underlined by a heavy gulp.

Jedediah frowned while shaking his head and awkwardly staring at his friend.   
"That's the biggest fear you have right now, I can see it. You mentioned it as the first thing that could be a punishment."  
"Yeah, because it's most likely to be ours if we don't behave. You will see."

Jedediah had to grin again, "So, if I'll see, it means that we're doing something. What do you have on your mind?"

Octavius' eyes widened, "I didn't mean it like _that_ , sidus. Just if we-"

"No, no, no. You talked yourself into this now, pal. No return anymore. We already are sitting on this car. Let's take a little drive, hm?" Jedediah said as if he was flirting with Octavius, but his face told the Roman that it all was irony and not serious.

"We won't do anything messy-"  
"Man, Ockie, you're boring," Jedediah blurted out with a sigh, but still got off the car.

"What are you doing?" Octavius asked quickly, completely confused and trying to ignore that it actually offended him when he called him boring.

And when Jedediah actually stopped and looked at him in order to answer the question, he raised an eyebrow and came down quickly, too, standing next to the cowboy in result.

"Are you challenging me?" the Roman asked in a deep and somehow really daring voice when he came closer to grab Jedediah at his clothes. There was something unusual and rough in that grab, and it resulted in Jedediah's closeness to Octavius, and he stared right into the other's widened, blue eyes.

Jedediah kinda was leaning in that position, so that Octavius had to put the other arm around him, holding him up, but also pulling him really close. Jedediah started to breathe faster and his body tensed at the touch with Octavius' body. Still, he wasn't done, even if Jedediah already was surprised, confused and unsure as fuck.

The Roman leaned forward as a final, their bodies so close, and Jedediah so tensed, while Octavius seemed to be so calm that it was creepy again.  
But it only seemed like that. He was sure that Jedediah could feel his racing heart.  
Jedediah was panting himself, what Octavius could feel at his own lips.

The cowboy's cheeks were deep red, and it was something that the Roman enjoyed pretty much.   
"Am I still boring to you?" he asked bluntly and smirked.   
He was sure that his heart would jump out of his chest soon, but it felt good to him. He was excited, even if his pessimistic side, which he called the truth in that situation, had to destroy the moment again.

Octavius couldn't say that he didn't want to kiss Jedediah. He couldn't deny that he wanted to be so close. But he also couldn't deny how uncomfortable Jed was, wanting to get out of this quickly. And that this fact hurt the Roman shouldn't be a secret, since he was quite sure that you could see it in his eyes.

But he had gripped him so roughly and powerful, that Jedediah didn't even try to break out of it. He really seemed to hate this closeness, and somehow it hurt Octavius, even if this was for making his friend uncomfortable and scared.

Or what did this look in his eyes mean? It confused Octavius, but he didn't let himself fall out of this act.

"Octavius-" the cowboy started, but he stopped and gasped a few times. Then, he reacted all of the sudden, closing his eyes slowly and relaxing a bit.

Octavius' eyes widened and he couldn't explain himself what happened here. Jedediah just gave in - and now they were in this situation, without him doing anything against it.   
Jed's breathing was still nervous, but he was held in Octavius' hands now, he could truly say that.

The Roman couldn't fucking stop himself leaning forward a bit more, getting so close that their lips may even touched.

Not just may, they did kinda touch, and Octavius' heart made a big jump.  
 _No, no, no. What have I done?,_ Octavius thought panicking and knowing that he was screwed now.

Shocked of this feeling and what kind of heartrace it caused, Jedediah gasped loudly again, causing Octavius to stop and go back with his head a bit. Especially when the cowboy opened his eyes and looked at him. There was Octavius know, being the one who felt uncomfortable, and then, adding an even more uncomfortable feeling, he heard someone gasp in shock.  
"Y-You-" Jed started, but too quiet, so that he ended up being interrupted.

"Alright, guys, _what the fuck."_

Octavius breathed heavily in relief while letting the blushing and histerically screaming Jed go, taking many deep breaths to calm down at all. The cowboy quickly turned down his voice while glare-killing both, Larry and Octavius.

It was Larry that walked into them, and he didn't look disgusted, just really confused and still angry at Jedediah who still was looking at him, too.

Octavius placed a hand on the cowboy's shoulder, causing him to look around immediately again. He was confused and now he didn't know who he should stare at.

Octavius nodded at him and smiled kindly, and somehow, the cowboy got a bit more calm again.

"So, are you a couple now? Yesterday, you destroyed a glass, a few nights before that, you were fighting... This sounds like a weird drama movie. What's up with y-"  
"We're not a _damn_ couple," Jedediah shouted right up to Larry, sounding like a child. He somehow managed to sound like a child pretty often when he was around Larry.

"You almost kissed," Larry meant, and Octavius' cheeks reddened. Jedediah's couldn't be more red anymore, and Octavius actually was proud of his work, because it did what it was supposed to do.

"Yeah, almost's the word, cowboy," Jedediah protested and Octavius sighed, rolling his eyes. This discussion could go on for years when there wouldn't be a burden like the day for them. Still, they argued pretty much in the nights, so Octavius was happy that they weren't alive through days, too.

Larry points at them with a finger, obviously warning and even threatening them.   
"Alright, alright, Jed. You'll see, I'll give you both a punishment if you screw something again. Everyone in here is able to stop destroying things, except for the animals maybe. You know that I can do some things without basically hurting you, right? Thin ice, guys, thin ice."

Octavius took a deep breath to protest against being punished, even if only Jed screwed something, but Larry interrupted him again. "Don't. I don't want to hear it. You both are in this trouble, and I'm watching you now."

When Larry left, both tensed, and they both knew that there wasn't anything anymore that could lead them into forgetting what happened.

Jedediah cleared his throat and shook his head.

"We should leave this museum for a night or we'll destroy something again," he meant, trying to persuade the Roman again, and searching a reason for it. But Octavius still didn't take the offer.

"Listen, you were right. I am afraid of lockers. And I don't want to end up in one," he said and closed his eyes, regretting this. "I never wanted to admit it but I don't feel good at all when I'm in close rooms. Only when there's something familiar or comfortable about it. Y-You could be one of those things."

He turned away from Jed and looked down to the ground.

"I could?" Jedediah asked, and the Roman could hear that he wasn't believing him that one.

"Yeah," Octavius meant, fiddling around with his own fingers.   
"B-But that's not important."  
He looked up to the car and then to the cowboy.

"Do you want to take a drive with me?"

...

Sure, he did.

And it was relaxing for both of them, even if they didn't talk much. Octavius looked outside one window, eyeing the museum when they drove around, but always watched where they would go.

Sadly, Jedediah saw, that the sun slowly was rising again. He looked to Octavius, who was still dreaming, and even if je thought that it was cute, he wanted to scare and mock him again.

He just liked to look at his friend being shocked or just confused. At that status, he really looked adorable to Jedediah, and he absolutely wanted to see it over and over again.

And actually, he wanted Larry to lock them up. He wanted a proof for that, what Octavius told them before he started the drive.

If it was true that he was afraid of closer rooms, Jedediah knew, that he would feel bad. But then, again, Octavius said, that he could be helping him in those situations.

Means that Jed could make up for his mean acts when they would end up there, right?

He confidently started to speed up, causing Octavius to take a deep but fast breath.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking up from watching the snow outside the museum through a window higher up, what had been peacefully.

Now this wasn't peaceful at all.

"Sidus," Octavius threatened, his voice deepened, but Jedediah just smirked.

"You're so boring, Ockie. But I'm not, and I'll get you into this things, too, I'm sure."

He speeded up and leaned back, laughing, hands off the wheel.

Octavius stared at him, mouth wide open, and panting. "Jed, take the wheel!" he shouted, and when his fingers cramped, he knew, that he was shortly before intervening.

"Oof. I have to move for that, right?"

The cowboy blinked at his Roman friend and giggled, until he rolled his eyes to take the wheel again.   
Still, his mockery wasn't over, not at all.

He started to drive in shaky lines, giving Octavius panic right through it, while Jed laughed about it, saying that this wasn't all he got.

The Roman just grabbed into his seat and laughed slightly, but only, as long as he didn't see the next thing they were too close to, so that getting away wouldn't help.

And obviously, they were the new enemies of very big glass.


	11. 11th December

Octavius looked at Jedediah, obviously being nervous.

Their only luck was, that they had to get back into the diorama quickly yesterday, so that Larry wouldn't get problems with McPhee.

But they both knew, that Jed's decision would have consequences, and Octavius knew that they both actually had some pressure marks through their little accident.

Jedediah still thought that it was _funny_.

So, Octavius knew what they would get, and only staring around, seeing that some christmas stuff found it's way into the museum, while the snow became more outside, could calm him down at least a bit.

"I hate you," he growled towards the cowboy, while he lowered his head towards the ground.

Jedediah snorted amused, "No, you don't."

And he was right. Totally, _extremely_ right.

Octavius could never hate him. Every single smile made him love the cowboy even more, but he knew that this wouldn't get anywhere. So, that's why he didn't answer to that sentence again, waiting for Larry, who said, that he'll be there in a moment.

Octavius heart raced more every second, and it made him breathe heavily, especially, when he saw the big guy come around the corner.

Larry still seemed a bit sick, even if it looked like his actual sickness got away a bit.

"So," he began, his voice still sounding a bit numb and thin. "Since you guys can't stop destroying stuff as long as you're free outside, while I can't stand much stress right now, I have to lock you two up. And don't blame this on me, I warned you before."

He looked at the panicking Octavius, when Jed did it, and everyone stayed silent.

Octavius thought, that Jedediah would try to use his fear to get away with that, but since he said nothing about it, the Roman was sure that it was some kind of joke for Jed. And that he didn't believe Octavius that he was anxious about little rooms, at least when he was without anyone that he could trust, that could calm him down when he panicked.

 _I'm screwed,_ Octavius thought on the inside, _I'm so screwed._

And then, suddenly, Larry picked them up quickly and almost a bit rough, but while Jedediah shouted around about it, Octavius stayed quiet, knowing what waited for him now. This really was a punishment for him - but Larry didn't even know.

He started panting and tears found their way into his burning eyes, but he still tried to hide it, hide his upcoming and big fear.

But it was too late, and when Larry finally put them into the locker, Jedediah stopped shouting and just sat down demotivated, while Octavius looked up to the human with want for freedom in his eyes.

And when he closed the locker door, locked it up, so that it was pretty dark, even if he let the strong light on, Octavius' mind realized what was wrong.

He slowly went to the left side, or at least the few steps that he could make. When he reached the wall after those few steps, his heart fell into a deeper race with his eyes that were darting around.

"Pal?" Jedediah threw into the pretty dark atmosphere, but the Roman couldn't stop panting. This wasn't what he imagined under their pretty Christmas time.

Octavius turned around quickly, walking to the right side of the locker then, but reaching it way too early.

He suddenly couldn't breathe anymore. Not at all.   
His eyes watered miserably, and he walked up to the locker door again, banging against it.

"Shit," Jedediah cursed. _He is anxious,_ he ended in his mind.

"Let me out!" Octavius screamed, tears crawling down his cheeks, his breaths short and anxious, even if you could only call it desperate panting. He felt like the walls were coming closer, killing him inbetween. They were threatening him, and they were closer and closer with every little second, so that he just started to bang louder.

"Help!" Octavius screamed with a thin and whiny voice, truly forgetting that Jedediah was there, too.

He only saw the walls coming closer when he looked around, overlooking the cowboy that sat there, on the ground, not caring about the punishment, and leaning against one of those walls.

"Oh, dear Jupiter," he started to pray, leaning his head against the locker in fear and submitting behaviour, closing his eyes.

Jedediah slowly stood up to walk closer to the traumatized and now quietly talking Octavius, that may was thinking that he would die in a few moments.

"Me a morte serva!" the Roman whispered in Latin, sounding mysterious, and Jedediah couldn't stop coming closer again.  
He stayed right behind his confused, scared and insidely panicking friend who still seemed to have no idea that he was there.

It didn't offend Jedediah, not at all. He actually felt guilty because he got Octavius into all of this, just because he was curious if it was true what the Roman meant about his fear of lockers.

Obviously, it was true. And it made Jedediah feel sick to see his usually strong friend so scared and hurtful.

If they'd still be fighting, this would've been the perfect moment to attack him from behind.

But they weren't fighting, not at all... It seemed more like something else evolved between them, creating a weird, unsolved tension.

Jedediah also wasn't sure if he would've still attack him when Octavius looked this anxious, even crying, screaming and forgetting that he was there, too. He lost everything he wanted through being locked up, and his mind played games with his fear.

Jedediah wanted to comfort him. He was guilty for this, so he had to make up for this incident. But when he reached for Octavius left shoulder, he stopped, hearing that the Roman was still whispering, probably praying in Latin.

 _He doesn't know that I'm here._  
Jedediah bit his lip, his hand, being stopped in the locker air.

He didn't want to scare him, but enough was enough, and Jedediah obviously had _enough_.

He reached to the goal, the left shoulder of Octavius, and the Roman gave him the reaction he thought he would give: He turned around and screamed, but only until he saw who placed their hands on his shoulder.

"Ockie?" Jed asked, quietly and unsure, but it arrived at the Roman's mind and refreshed it, even if the anxiety still was there, throwing a little party, obviously.

"Here," Jedediah said and made a final step towards Octavius, until he hugged him really tight, and really long.

His heart raced, again, his cheeks reddened, but he slowly took down the Roman's helm to create some "Home" feelings, letting it fall to the ground.

He pulled Octavius so close, that no paper could've gotten inbetween them.

Jedediah started stroking the short, brown hair, and also started humming a quiet, little song that many people in his time took to calm each other down sometimes

Octavius gulped and leaned against Jedediah, closing his eyes and breathed heavily. Jedediah could sing, and he really did like it, while it weirdly calmed him down.

"Sidus," the Roman sighed tired, but more calm, his legs still feeling shaky, and somehow, Jedediah had to realize it.

"Come, let's sit down," the cowboy said, sounding completely confident, even if he felt unsure about his behaviour. But the guilt that he felt was bigger, so he was happy when Octavius just sat down, even if he now stopped to hug him.

When they sat, a sudden wave of shame flushed over Octavius, colouring his before pale cheeks into a deep red, and causing that he looked down at the ground, feeling weak.

 _Because you are,_ he told himself and took a deep breath to avoid exploding in pure shame.

"Eh- thank you, Jedediah," Octavius brought out when there was silence, and alone his voice was full of embarrassment, so that Jedediah now realized what was wrong.

"You don't have to be embarrassed because of your fears," he meant, and he sounded as if he couldn't believe the way Octavius tried to hide it away.  
"I was an asshole. I didn't believe you first, and now we're here and it's not good for you. I'm lucky that I could calm you down like that. I was worried that you wouldn't calm down until Larry would open this thing again."

Octavius smiled slightly, but completely honest, what made Jed curious for that what he would say.

"I thought that too, to be honest with you. I saw them coming closer and closer, and I don't know, but my mind kinda programmed you out of this. But now that you're there, that I can concentrate on you, they still seem dangerous, but stay where they are... And you won't mock me with this?" Octavius told him, and when he asked the question, he became more quiet, what, again, confused Jedediah.

Maybe he would've done this once, but now that they were close, he would never do that to Octavius. He was hardly suffering with it alone, and Jedediah would rather help him than just mock him with it. This would've been too much.

Jedediah stared at Octavius for a moment, but he just sighed and leaned back, already reaching the back of the locker because they had a little bit space between them.

"I wouldn't dare," the cowboy said, smirking, "Seeing you panicking once was enough for the next ten years."

That was _another_ truth.

Not only Octavius suffered, but it also hurt Jedediah to see him obviously anxious and helpless, and he felt helpless, too, for a moment.

Now, they sat there, and he could see Octavius' glare wander from corner to corner again, and it was still fear in them, when Jedediah looked closer.

"Octavius," he started in worry that it would start again, but the Roman reacted and turned towards him, raising an eyebrow, so that the cowboy was in an embarrassing situation.

"Tell me a secret. Or just a story. Maybe something that actually happened? You like snow. Think about that, then you'll feel better, I think. We have to stay this night in this thing, so we'll make it comfortable for ourselves, right?"

Octavius couldn't help but smile in that moment. Jedediah tried to help him, and it actually cheered him up, making him feel fuzzy.

His smile became dreamy when he imagined a really beautiful sight, how it could look outside right now.

"You know," he started, not thinking it over anymore, "With your presence, it's actually pretty comfortable, even if I miss looking at the snow."

This time, Jedediah giggled. "Thanks, Ockie. I wasn't sure if my first try would reach you like this. But obviously, I could help you-"  
"And you're still helping me right now."

Octavius' glare had to tell some of the thoughts that were going through his head.  
"Besides, I don't have anything to loose, right? Well, except you, but... I came to terms with some things... You know, you helped me, so I'll fulfill one of your wishes - let's go outside tomorrow, I need some space after this shit - and yeah, I _curse_ about this. Also..."

He leaned his head against the wall, closing his eyes, and seeming asleep, while Jedediah needed to fully realize what the fuck he just said.

Octavius would go outside with him? Was this a dream, or the reality?

Jedediah didn't even want to stop the stupid grin on his face, wanting to show Octavius that his idea caused the probably wanted, but good surprise.

"Sidus..."  
"Yeah?"   
"No, wait. I need to tell you what it means."  
"Ockie-.. I mean, you, like, really-"

The Roman just nodded, and it made Jedediah feel numb, his smile fading away, even if he held in mind that this could be the next joke.

But Octavius seemed so serious about it.

"Sidus was never an insult," he said, opening his eyes to stare at his waiting, surprised friend.   
He bit his lip again and felt a wave of anxiety about this, but he remembered, that this couldn't be worse than the walls inside him that were crushing his open heart.

"It's the Latin word for 'star'."


	12. 12th December

**_Star,_** Jedediah thought flustered, but in a good way.

 _He always called me "star" and I thought that he was insulting me all the time. But now, it's more like a compliment?,_ he wondered, still really confused by the things that Octavius said yesterday, even if both of those big news made him extremely happy.

But he knew, that it wasn't just like a compliment, it actually was a compliment. And when that knowledge came through, Jedediah's heart had gone completely wild, especially now when he saw Octavius coming from his diorama, still not seeing him.

The Roman still was more affected by the locker than the amount he showed Jedediah, but it brought those things up, and now there was more weird, but not too present tension between them, than ever before.

Jedediah felt excited when Octavius came closer, seeing him, too.   
And he waved, smiling lovely.

The cowboy had never felt so weird in all those time, and he actually knew what it was about. But he wasn't ready to just admit it, even if he already did it partly.

"Hey, nice to see you," Octavius said as if it really made him glad, even if they said that they would always meet until Christmas - but then, suddenly, Jedediah realized: It was because of those things that he said in the last night, being in panic and stress.

"So, you actually thought that I'd let you down now? You were complimenting me for some time, that'd be extremely rude, even if it already was rude that I thought it was an insult."

Octavius' surprised and suddenly ashamed glare just confirmed everything Jedediah thought, and it made him feel actually sick.

_How should I even feel bad about it? I even hoped that he keeps it, but since he greets me differently now I already know, that he gave it up. Damn it, Ockie. I liked it, but if I told you, I'd sound like an idiot._

Octavius got lost in his stare, until he shook his head shortly, still seeming ashamed, but then, he remembered the promise he made.

"Well, nevermind. Let's take a little drive."  
"Yeah, I've been waiting for this the entire December now."  
"Oh, no, how _dramatic_. Twelve days that you needed to survive, waiting for this! What a horrible treatment for such a poor, little cowboy."

Jedediah snorted, and that's how Octavius knew that he did the right thing for getting the cowboy away from his confessions.

"I'll give you poor and little," Jedediah threatened not really serious, but Octavius just laughed and raised an eyebrow, saying what he was thinking, even if he didn't want it to get out loud.

"I don't think so."

Again, someone was surprised, now by the little pervert sound in that sentence, but this time, it was Jed who got the role of the surprised one.

He let out one confused laugh, but then crossed his arms.

"Do you want me to give you something?" he asked, really interested in the answer, but he knew that he most likely wouldn't get one.

"I-" Octavius stuttered, blushing, eyes widened, what made Jedediah burst on the inside. He knew. He knew about Octavius' (who was wondering how they got into this topic to fast) wants.   
"N-No! Why would y-you think _that_?"

"Reasons," Jedediah shoved away nervously, still having enough nerves for winking at Octavius, just before they reached their car. Even if they both didn't focus on the fact that they were walking already, they were, so...

...

Octavius looked at Jedediah who was driving, like he did every time before.   
It was nothing new, but something started Octavius' heartrace again. Maybe it was just Jedediah himself - without doing anything. And that was weird, but it also caused some warmth in his chest, so, how could it be so bad?

Jedediah seemed to realize that he got a stalker right now, because the Roman saw how his glare darted to the right a few times.

But in that moment, Octavius quickly looked forward again, and then, he saw, that they found their way out pretty fast - even if he didn't know how, Jedediah brought them to the outside.

Octavius' mouth hung open for a moment. This was even more snow than what they had when Larry started here - or he didn't remember much enough, since he hit his head when they had a crash at that night, and his helmet couldn't prevent everything.

He laughed and then ended all that in a little smile. Jedediah suddenly stopped the car, and when he opened one door, he laughed, too.

"Shoot, it's cold," he said, feeling the cold around him more than ever before, what confused him pretty much.

"Yeah, somehow... Our bodies changed since the last time, or we were just covered in too much dust or were too excited to feel it back then," Octavius answered, shaking his head, but slowly kneeling down into the white.

He took a hand full of snow and stood up again, looking at Jedediah who actually rubbed his arms, and seemed to be searching for Octavius, who was hiding behind the car.

"So, we have to warm ourselves up!" he shouted, coming around the car and throwing the snow from his hands, which he formed into a little ball, right at Jedediah, and he hit the cowboy's back and neck.

He shivered and yelled something, but then giggled and ducked down, what alarmed the Roman.

"You better run, Ockie!" he threatened playfully, with snow already in his hands, so that Octavius couldn't even react.

Suddenly, he had snow in his face, and some of it even sticked at his helmet.

"Oh- you didn't-" Octavius muttered, wiping away the cold snow while giggling like a little child.

"I did! Whatcha gonna do now?" Jedediah asked mockingly, and when Octavius could open his eyes again, he snorted at the confident man that leaned against the car right in front of him.

"You better shall run, too, my _friend_."

His voice was deep and sounded thick, so that he could see that he caused some doubts in the other's eyes, but Jedediah still didn't take it fully serious.

"Ain't calling me sidus anymore?" he asked, and hit the nail on the head with that one sentence.

Octavius lowered his glare and his head together with it, and he felt unsure now.

His heart was still racing and his cheeks burning from the cold snow (and it _was_ from the snow this time), but he couldn't say anything for a minute. But that seemed to be okay - because Jedediah obviously waited to interrupt him then.

"I didn't know if you-"  
"Hey, I would've said something if I didn't like it, so don't worry," the cowboy said, his glare almost studying Octavius' glare and his body, or at least, what he could see.

Then, suddenly, he snorted, while Octavius was still thinking about it.

"How can you even _survive_ while having so short clothes? Can't imagine, since I'm freezing in my long ones, but if you at least could explain..."

"Just keeping myself warm," Octavius said, getting closer to Jedediah after he took some snow again, while he didn't even care, he just stayed where he was, even when the Roman was really close.

"I could show you," he whispered, leaning closer, preparing for what he wanted to do.

But suddenly, that exact movement came back. "I could show you _something_ , too..."

Octavius stopped to breath for a second and, again, forgot the cold completely.

But then, since he was pretty sure it was a joke, he got his hands up, pulled Jedediah's shirt away a bit, what made the cowboy shiver, but then threw snow inside it.

Octavius laughed evil and backed up immediately, especially when Jedediah brought out a not so manly squeak, and tried to get the snow out.

"If you wouldn't be so attractive, I wouldn't get into this all the time!" he growled annoyed, and it startled Octavius, again, but there was no time to be surprised, since he realized that he got a hunter now.

Octavius quickly turned around, bursted in laugher and ran, ran, ran, even if the snow was really deep, really hard to get through.

He ran and felt the snow flying around his body, while parts of it became cold already, but he didn't mind.

He laughed, and was happy, really happy. Jedediah was, too, but he would be more glad if he could catch Octavius easier, but the Roman had some tricks hidden.

So, they run around and tried to get the other one for almost the whole damn night.

The more funny and unpredictable it was, that, of all the things Jedediah tried out to stop the Roman, his own cape ended his win.

He actually stepped on it when he turned around to look where his follower was, but didn't realize it early enough.

Sadly, for Jed, the sudden fall didn't become good for him either.

He tripped over one of Octavius' feet and fell forward, too, but landed controlled on the Roman's hip, his hands deep in the snow beneath Octavius' head, so that the fall would be stopped a bit.

"Ah, shit," Jedediah cursed, and immediately, so that it looked wanted, took Octavius' arms to, also, get up a bit.

But he didn't get up.

Staring directly into his friend's eyes was way more interesting, and it made the tension between them even worse.

They both were panting because they were exhausted by running around, but this was a very quiet and tense moment for both of them.

Octavius shook his head, closing his eyes and leaning even more into the snow. He could thank the white mass, because if it wouldn't be there, his back would be hurting a lot and for a really long time, then.

Jedediah could feel some rest body warmth of the Roman, and he didn't even start to wonder. This guy just was magical in his own way. The never-cold-way that Jedediah admired in this exact moment, even if his cheeks were burning.

 _They're probably taking every bit of warmth away, huh?,_ he wondered until Octavius cleared his throat.

Jedediah opened his mouth in panic, but closed it again.   
Then, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth.

"If you give up, I'll let you go," he said, even if the truth was, that Octavius was pretty good to sit on or to cuddle with, even if he didn't know about the second thing yet. He even thought that he wouldn't and shouldn't get to know it at all, so what kind of evil false hopes would imagining it be?  
"I know that you're cold, Jed. You won't last so long, hm?"

_Shoot, that's true. I'm actually freezing to death right here. But what's about or little conversation before we drove here?_

"If you don't give up, I'll move. I don't know what'll happen. Do you? And... I feel like it would embarrass you~" Jedediah hummed winning and way to innocently, but that seemed to get the exact wrong reaction by Octavius.

He grabbed Jed's clothes and pulled him closer down.

"Are you challenging me?" he asked, while the first cold and melting into wet snow creeped inside both of their clothes, reaching their bodies.

Jedediah couldn't help but stare at those beautiful lips, those beautiful, _kissable_ lips...

 _Ah, fuck it._   
"Shut up, idiot."

Jedediah leaned down and kissed Octavius, who had wanted this for a really long time, passionately, even a bit rough, but still careful.

Octavius immediately kissed back, while his body went numb, and his heart jumped a few beats. He never felt so good before, and slowly, his hands stopped pulling Jedediah, so that he could put his arms around the other's body. He sighed comfortable, and deepened the kiss suddenly, what made Jedediah surprised for a second.

They didn't want to stop, feeling numb from this amazing feeling inside their bodies and ignoring the cold around them, but they needed air soon.

So, Jedediah pulled away, panting, like Octavius, but he didn't move or anything else in that direction, he just closed his eyes and took deep breaths.

Both still had to realize what happened.


	13. 13th December

There hadn't been much time for explanations the night before. When they dared to open their eyes again, they had to admit, that the sun was rising, and that they quickly had to get back.

The rest of the drive and their getting back, no one really talked, because both had to think about this topic. Octavius knew that it would be difficult, but he wanted to try it - and when they had to say goodbye until the next night, he hugged Jedediah.   
"I love you, sidus," he had said, honest and with no single irony in it.

Before Jedediah could've said something, the Roman had turned around and left the cowboy, especially because he was scared what he would say about that.

Octavius knew, that there had been something that developed since they decided to do all those things together. And it developed strong and pretty quick.

Octavius had also known what it was for himself before that night, but that Jedediah obviously felt the same thing - or at least something like that - was a surprise. A good one, at least.

Well, would it get complicated? It could. And he was actually scared that his decision was too fast, telling him that he really loved him. Maybe it had been just that tension, and not love for Jedediah.

Now, Octavius felt guilty, even if he didn't even know how it was for the cowboy. He just thought what could be, and that made him fear the next meeting between them. They had to talk, he knew.

But would Jedediah talk about this? He couldn't know, and for fuck's sake, he shouldn't be freaking out about it like this.

They'll get this right, and then, it would be over.

Octavius shook his head in disbelieve about himself, but then even realized that he had his head lowered.

Immediately, he looked up again and straightened his body, since he was leaning against a wall again, waiting for his "friend".

Or _whatever_ they were right now.

He almost thought that Jedediah wouldn't come when he heard a whistle that could only come from the cowboy.   
It scared him first, to be honest, but then, he was just happy to see Jed.

Then, Octavius remembered, and couldn't hold back a little giggle, that they had been more than once in this situation and fear before.

Sure, it was something bigger, more important this time, but they both could be pretty sure that they wouldn't leave the other alone so fast.

And only once one of them stayed alone. And it wasn't Jedediah who left because he had to think.

Octavius gulped, feeling guilty again, but that was interrupted by Jed hugging him tight, and his wanted closeness was still weird to the Roman.

Still, he returned the hug, because he liked that affection, and if Jedediah made it just by himself, it made Octavius glad.

"Hey, are you okay?" he still asked, worrying, but when Jedediah backed off a few steps, he couldn't see any bad mood.

"Yeah, why? Just wanted to give you a hug," he said embarrassed, fiddling with his fingers. "Is that wrong?" he added with a little laugh, blushing.

"No, really. I just wondered. We didn't talk much after... the kiss, yesterday. I thought I might... said too much after it. I didn't know if you wanted to hear that, like, at all, or if it would-"

He didn't come to an end, because Jedediah laughed slightly, what cut Octavius off.

"You ain't wanna know what kind of things you did to me. They were good things, though," he said honestly, placing a hand on his own chest. "I just wanted to say... I never loved a man before, it's just... it's new, but not wrong, and still... I feel unsure about it. I never really felt unsure 'bout _anything_."

Octavius sadly realized pretty late what Jedediah tried to confess there, but when he did, he had to smile gently. He didn't even mock him for sounding so helpless, because he didn't want to make it worse.

But when Jedediah saw the smile, he looked away ashamed.   
"Alright, please forget this," he muttered, but the Roman took his hands.

"Listen, Jedediah."  
He got the cowboy's attention now, he even looked at his "Lover" again, waiting obviously unsure and scared.

"We will do this together, then. I won't force you into anything you don't want. You lead this relationship, okay? And even if you don't want to be with me for some time before anything else happens, that would be okay. It's your choice, and like I said, I won't force you into anything. I couldn't do that to you. And you need to learn that you can also tell me when it's too much, okay? I want you to be comfortable, because that's new to you. And if I'm pressuring you too much, I could destroy a lot of things for you. That's not what I want."

The cowboy now smiled too, having tears in his eyes, but trying to keep them hidden away.

"Thanks, Ockie," he said, sighing relieved.   
"I just - I'm not used to talking about my worries, to be honest," Jedediah meant, and looked at their hands.

"You really mean a lot to me," he said quietly, but it reached Octavius clear enough.

He just took Jedediah's face in his hands now, leaned forward and placed a little kiss on his lips, sweet and innocent. Completely different from the almost hot mess that their kiss was the first time.

He leaned back before the cowboy could react, but he saw him blushing again, pulling his hat down a bit.

"Do you want to hide it for some time?" Octavius asked kindly, and he wasn't surprised by the little, still unsure nod that came as an answer.

"If that's really okay for you?" Jedediah asked, looking at the Roman now, who just nodded, too. But then, he had to add something else.   
"But for us... we're officially not-so-public-boyfriends, right?"

Jedediah laughed and then smirked after that when he brought out his answer. "Yep, Ockie. Unbelievable, right? It needed twelve nights to get us together. I thought that we might never get our shit done, but we did."

Octavius nodded and looked around, again stopping at the window that he could see. It was still snowing, and he asked himself it would ever stop. The snow just fell and fell and tucked the world into a white, cold blanket.

He looked at Jedediah, who moved and then stood right next to Octavius again, smiling happily. He leaned against the wall, and suddenly, it seemed as if he went pale without anything happening.

"Hey, sidus," Octavius said, now not feeling ashamed about the nickname anymore - sidus would stay as a name, because Jedediah said that he liked it, and Octavius did actually like it, too.

But that didn't matter in that moment, because Jedediah seemed uncomfortable, even if he looked at his boyfriend with a glare, that obviously should calm him down, but it didn't. It made everything worse because his eyes were burning and becoming a bit swollen, even if that had started a longer time before already.

"Let's sit down," the worried Roman said then, sliding down at the wall, what Jedediah did, too. He didn't seem to worry, and he also didn't seem to understand the Roman's worry. But still, he did what his love wanted from him.

"You don't look so good," Octavius said quietly and wondering, still sounding careful, while Jedediah snorted at that, laughing after it.

But he soon stopped because of some little headache, that was absolutely normal to him. At this museum, a headache was one of the actually little, but still quite annoying things that you could get.

So, again, nothing Jed would worry about. Instead, he made a joke.

"Now you hurt my feelings," he said, playing sad and hurt, a hand at his chest again, squeezing. "I thought you love me."

"Actually, you're really handsome. But right now, you look sick, Jedediah. Lay down, or something, I'm worrying about you," Octavius meant, then, and placed a hand on Jedediah's shoulder.

"Nah, it'll be okay in a minute, trust me," the cowboy tried, but yawned then before he could add something else.  
"I just feel quite numb and yeah, my eyes are _burning_."

"I know people who have this when they catched a fever, sidus. Come on, I'll get you into your diorama so that you can get some rest."

Still, Jedediah insisted that he was okay, shaking his head to that offer. He was pretty sure that they couldn't catch a fever, that it was just some unpleasant and unclear feeling.

He knew that Octavius didn't like that he still didn't want to give in, telling himself that he wasn't sick.   
"Really, I'm okay," he said, even if he felt how he slowly couldn't breath through his nose anymore, and the numb feeling became stronger. He had to lean his head against the wall, feeling weak, and sniffled, realizing that his nose was completely closed for air.

The world was spinning, and his head felt as if it was burning in a fierce way.   
His head also now hurt pretty bad, making him groan in pain.

"This headache is getting worse," Jedediah told Octavius, who was looking at him with a knowing glare.   
"Come on, you dumbass," Octavius then said, putting a hand on the cowboy's forehead, what caused a relieved sigh from him. "Oh, your hand is co-"

"Merda," he cursed then, interrupting, worrying, "you definitely catched a fever."  
Jedediah snorted, still not loosing his humour, even if he felt really bad.   
"That's just because I'm hot."  
"Jedediah."  
" _Octavius_."

The Roman rolled his eyes and took his hand away from the other's forehead.   
He still looked at his boyfriend and sighed, taking Jed's face into his hands.   
"I know that you idiot don't think that you're sick, but I do, and I'll make you get rest."

Again, the cowboy smiled, his face still pale. The smile itself seemed tired and full of pain, what made Octavius stand up finally.   
"Spending time with me is obviously giving you some insults, Ockie," Jedediah said, laughing a little before he looked up to Octavius who held out his hand.

He groaned, but still took it at let himself get pulled up from the floor.

Standing still was problematic then, because his body obviously didn't come to terms with getting up so fast.

He leaned against Octavius, feeling defeated, slowly accepting that he actually was really sick.

"Man, I'm sorry," he blurted out, his voice sounding drunk. "I didn't know that my body could do _this_. Now we'll loose some nights-"  
"We have enough, sidus," Octavius interrupted, gently pressing the cowboy away from him at his shoulders.

"I'll bring you to your diorama now. We'll just take care of this, right? Everything is fine. Also - because I didn't said anything about it - I'm pretty sure that I know more insults than you. We were a pretty hateful crowd sometimes," he meant, smirking slightly when the cowboy sighed and came to his side, still using him as help.

"Is that so?" Jedediah meant, challenging Octavius even now, just because it gave him a better feeling. This would always stay in their relationship, at least he hoped that. He also hoped that Octavius would stay with him during the days he had to get through while being sick.

He looked into Octavius' eyes, sniffed shortly, but then smiled slightly. He could make every situation better for Jedediah - even if he was sick now.

A bunch of questions came up in his mind, things like how he could even get sick, but that didn't matter in that moment.

They stared into each others eyes, until suddenly, Jedediah felt a little tickle in his nose.

Quickly, he turned to the side, and sneezed loudly, causing Octavius to laugh.

"Bless you," he said when Jedediah looked at him again, laughing too, until he wanted to say something.

"Alright, let's get myself better, then."


	14. 14th December

Octavius laughed and leaned back in the little chair he sat on, next to Jedediah, who had to stay in bed.

He wasn't exactly forced to stay there, but he knew, that Octavius wouldn't let him put one foot outside this house, and he didn't even want to do that.

His head felt at least ten times bigger than the rest of his body, he felt completely numb and weakened, and needed to take some medicine that Larry tried to get dosed correctly. It still was too much and doomed Jedediah completely.

To be honest, they all didn't expect that a miniature was able to get sick. And Octavius even had to explain Larry, how this accident happened - leaving out the kiss, of course.

But Larry cared about the cowboy, too, even if he wanted to lock them up again, because hell, they left the museum - and because his care for both of them was bigger than his stress - he just tried what he could do for Jedediah, and to his success, Jed kinda felt that his fever went away.

And, adding to that, Octavius was there for him and somehow, he always managed to crack some jokes when he was around that Roman. He just gave him a good mood, even if he felt like shit, while that was still understated in that moment.

"This headache is killing me," he snorted quietly, and even if he didn't hear how sick he sounded, alone the fact that he was quiet irritated him.

"Alright," Octavius said, his mind obviously working for finding something funny to cheer Jedediah up even more. He thought, while the cowboy groaned in pain and still was doomed by this numb feeling.   
"Let me tell you something."

Jedediah looked at his boyfriend, and when he realized that he even called Octavius his boyfriend (because he was) in his mind, he got happier again. That they finally kissed and came together was something that made his nightlife better - spending time with the Roman in this friends- and now loverfeeling, comfortable and not forced, had been good for him for the whole time.

He didn't know how they could fight so long. Larry was right - they weren't so different from each other. And now they were a couple. Life is funny, isn't it? A true comedian.

But even if he could laugh about it, he also loved the fact that life decided to be funny on this way.

He really loved Octavius - and he would've liked to kiss him, hug him, anything - but he was sick and basically didn't want to make Octavius sick, too, because it felt like a hellride.

"Did you already think about the fact, that when you were chasing me outside, I didn't loose the run because you got me, but because I managed to trip over my own cape?" Octavius said then, making Jedediah laugh, snort and regret it. "Ockie, you're _killing_ me-"

"Ah, wait, it's even better than just this. You should also know, to fully understand why I think this is so funny, that I'm wearing that thing for all those nights now, and in every single fight with you, I never fell over my cape. But the first time outside and in a playful way, I trip and fall."

Jedediah laughed, despite his sickness - the way Octavius delivered this accident was so funny to him, that he couldn't focus on having pain anymore.   
"Man, Ockie, I'm tryin' to be sick over here and you're just telling me funny things, this ain't going to work well."

"Well, I just want to see you laugh," he said then, smiling at Jedediah who couldn't help but smile after laughing, too.

"So, if we start with being cute, since we're together, will sidus stay as nickname? Because I like it," the cowboy wondered and leaned back into the bed more to relax his body enough.

"Oh... I think it'll stay, yes. When you like it, because I do, too. I remember that it was a really sudden idea... and that I was pretty ashamed of it when I told you - I had thought it was time to tell you, especially when you know about my worst fears. I actually hate to keep secrets from someone," Octavius answered explaining and thoughtful, what made Jedediah smile more.

"I'm still sorry that I got us in there. I didn't believe you when you said you were afraid of those things," he meant regretful and closed his eyes, getting a bit tired, but he knew that he couldn't sleep, not while he felt like a sick piece of shit.

"It's okay, you don't have to apologize, really. The only thing that's important is that you get better soon. I mean - we didn't know that we, or you, could get sick either."  
Jedediah coughed suddenly, but nodded with a little chuckle afterwards. "I still think it's unfair that you're just as healthy as usual and I'm the poor dude that has to get sick. But at least you're caring for me, eh?"

"Well, sure. It still was fun, right? I felt like a child again," Octavius meant and suddenly became even more thoughtful, now clearly visible through his whole body. He leaned forward and frowned, looking troubled.

"What's goin' on with ya? Do you have a defect?" Jedediah mocked, his voice sounding scratchy, but at least a bit louder now.   
"I'm thinking about the childhood parts I remember from the "real" me," Octavius muttered, but then shook his head and scratched his neck shortly.

His helmet was laying on the ground, because Jedediah wanted it like that, because he thought that it still felt more personal.   
But now, it was unusual for Octavius that he didn't have that thing on his head.

Jedediah liked it like this, though. And making him feel as comfortable as he could was some goal he followed right in that moment. He always wanted Jed to feel comfortable - but now he got sick and Octavius made it to his work that he would stay mentally cheered up.

Octavius smiled at the memories came into his mind, again. They were detailed, more than he expected, at least. But they were happy, so that the Roman decided to share them with Jedediah.

"Being in Rome as a little child somewhat was very overwhelming. You must imagine a little child in a city like Rome. Everything seemed to big and the people there were loud, and also not really tiny. But they weren't fighting or anything bad, most of the time. Most of the time, they were... cheerful. A loud, cheerful forum was in Rome, and as a child, I fancied it completely. The whole thing still scared me a bit, but I was fascinated by the fact people could be so happy and usually peaceful. I remember walking around, really little. I had the feeling that I'd drown in all those people once in a while. But that didn't happen, I got through, and Rome stayed in my head as a really happy and beautiful place. It also was a beautiful place when I reigned it, but the people..."

Octavius sighed at the end and interrupted himself with that. "Nevermind," he said and smiled at Jedediah, who raised an eyebrow, but let it be like that. He accepted that Octavius wouldn't tell him everything, especially not why he was sick. The Roman really tried to make the cowboy happy and was with him all the time now.

Jedediah loved it, though. He loved that Octavius was so caring about him all the time. It made him feel really warm around his heart. 

"Would you mind to kiss me?" Jedediah said with a little laugh and grabbed Octavius' right arm, looking at him.   
"You're probably the only one that can become sick here, besides Larry, of course. So..."

Octavius leaned down and kissed his boyfriend gently, but became a bit more passionate with the moments that went over. Still, he watched out that he wouldn't do too much. Jed was still pretty sick, and even if he really was getting better, they didn't have to go far now. Jedediah had asked for a kiss and that would be what the Roman gives him.

"Thank you for your help and all that, Octavius," Jedediah murmered when they seperated again.


	15. 15th December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today I literally lost my calm and punched against a wall until my hand started to bleed a little bit
> 
> It was satisfying tho

Octavius somehow had been able to convince Jedediah for staying in bed until he froze again at sunrise, so that he would be still there when he got alive again - and it resulted in him sleeping through the rest of the night after that discussion, so that he didn't even realize when he froze.

Octavius now was in the Western Diorama, trying to ignore the almost knowing faces of the cowboys around him.

They made him nervous, even if he understood that it was still pretty weird to see him inbetween them. His clothes were just so different - what was actually normal, since they were Cowboys, and he was a Roman.

That still looked pretty funny, especially since he got some things with him.

He was bringing Jed his medicine, of course and adding to that, some hot chocolate to drink, because Larry said that it would be good for Jedediah's nerves (which must be fully down _there_ because he literally was the only exhibit in that _entire_ museum that managed to get sick).

The people already knew that he went to Jedediah, but at least they knew that he was sick, too. If they didn't, it would be weird that Octavius visited him in that house to leave him in time just after that.

But their looks still seemed to tell him that they knew about their relationship - what made Octavius wonder, if they actually did.

And while all that thoughts crossed his mind, he continued walking through the crowd, getting his way to his boyfriend free.

And when he came in, finally, Jedediah was still sleeping, but he looked a bit better, as if he was alive the whole time, sleeping through the day. His sleep also seemed to be better than in the last night. Jed was still frowning, and it looked as if he also still had a headache.

 _That will stay a bit_ , the Roman sighed on the inside, putting down the other stuff on the ground.

Octavius smiled afterwards, not knowing what he found so enlightening. This whole situation was still _weird_ \- like he said: Exhibits actually didn't get sick.

This was probably it. This, and the fact that it somehow had to hit Jedediah. He was caring about him, but this whole going outside idea came from him, so.. well, maybe it even was karma...

 _Wait, that's right,_ Octavius thought, _we went outside._

That explained a lot, especially about the fact that it hit Jed, but the Roman still wondered, why it didn't happen to both of them. He was glad that he didn't need to be sick, of course, but it confused him.

Maybe because he was running around in short clothes over the whole years, and Jedediah didn't. He always had his usual outfit on when Octavius saw him, only not now. But that had his reasons - the Roman himself wouldn't stay in his regular clothes too, if he was sick and had to stay in bed.

He sat down on the chair which he also used last night, just to watch the peaceful-looking cowboy who really seemed to be completely calm and asleep.

Octavius was happy about that. Not, because he didn't want to talk to him or anything, just because he could get rest through that.

He smiled at his boyfriend for one moment more to prepare the medicine then, waiting for him to wake up, so that he could start caring about him. But just like he thought several times, Jedediah was deeply sunken into his sleep, his hands were still strongly gripping the sheets as if his hands were cramping, but the rest of him seemed to rest successful.

Octavius concentrated on what he was doing, preparing the stuff, and suddenly noticed how calm his hands were, looking at himself filling in the medicine.

And then, he already found himself wondering if the "real" Octavius had so calm hands, too? From those things he saw, he didn't know. He just had some flashbacks about fights, and they actually terrified him sometimes. He was glad that he and Jedediah wasn't, like, on that level of cruelty, even when they fought against each other.

Octavius knew that his counterpart had trained hands, and he had them under control perfectly while fighting, but the rest of that time? He didn't know, even when he tried to think of some flashback that could help him with that.

He decided to let it be and concentrates more on the medicine, even if he was almost done with that. Searching for flashbacks in his mind was exhausting, and Octavius wanted to be there when Jedediah would wake up.

He felt responsible for the cowboy, and he really wanted him to get better soon, but watching him sleep felt too creepy, too.

Those thoughts resulted in Octavius staring at the ground, waiting for some commentary of his dear boyfriend.

"Lord Helmet..." a voice whispered roughly, sounding sick, but also typically playful for Jedediah.

The Roman smiled and looked up, or better just at the cowboy, who was grinning himself. "Got a new name for ya," he pointed out suddenly, "Mylord?"

"You don't have to call me like that," Octavius said seriously but still amused, rolling his eyes when Jedediah started laughing and said, "Well, you seem to like that one, so I gonna take it."

"No, seriously, sidus. I'm not a Lord," he insisted, but Jedediah also was insisting on his opinion.   
"So, look, you're Lord Helmet. What am I? Your lost princess? Or, nah, your lost prince."

Octavius snorted at this and shook his head in surprise. "Do you always wake up with this much shit in your head?" he asked, and wasn't surprised this time when he received a nod. But then, Jed muttered a "I usually ain't wake up like this" after his nod, and that made Octavius sigh.

"Yeah, right. That's true," he meant, a bit thoughtfully, but then, he got to the reality again.

"I know that you just woke up, but you have to take your medicine. Larry says that you'll be better soon. He is, too. Also, I brought you something to wash away the disgusting taste of that medicine," the Roman started with a little satisfied glare when he gave Jedediah the really little glass with medicine.

"Ew," he made, but laughed and just gulped it down his throat really fast. Octavius could perfectly see how disgusted he felt by that taste, so he started to prepare the hot chocolate, too. But for this, he just had to fill the warm drink into a cup, so that, when Jedediah put away the glass, he could take the hot chocolate right away.

"Ooh, that's so kind, Ockie," he muttered as well as he could, sounding a bit sick again, even if he sighed reliefed when he could warm his hands up on the cup.

"Like, really. I mean that. I know I'm pretty much sarcastic, but you ain't have to do all this stuff for me," Jed added, but Octavius had already begun to smile at the cowboy. "You're my boyfriend, right?"

After taking a sip from the cup, Jedediah allowed a smile on his lips, too. "Yeah."

He had sat up straight in the bed to drink, and he sometimes started to stretch some of his limbs, while he still was caring for the hot chocolate's safety.

Octavius drank some, too, and he watched his boyfriend, realizing that he at least seemed better than a night before. 

"There are people who wouldn't have helped her boyfriend like that, though," Jed suddenly threw into the comfortable silence between them, making Octavius smile satisfied but still worrying. "And you think I could've been one of them?"

Jedediah seemed actually confused and sorry, but when he saw the grin on the other's face, he took a deep breath. "Never would I think that."

It was still really surprising to hear Jedediah telling him so clearly what he thought of him, and what he thought was positive. Even if he himself still had to feel bad. Octavius smiled brightly, sipping on his hot drink.

"When am I able to get outta here again? I miss doing pointless shit with you, Ockie."  
The Roman chuckled about that before he answered him, "Well, you sound and look more healthy again. Larry could be jealous of your regeneration. You'll be fine soon, maybe even tomorrow, if we try to stay _slow_."

"Ah, right, right. You ain't have to care about me anymore, though. I think I'll be fine. You spent your whole night on me yesterday," Jedediah said, but Octavius shook his head. "Isn't that what I do always? Spending my nights with a precious cowboy called Jedediah Smith... deis gratia ago."

Jedediah raised an eyebrow, drinking some hot chocolate while waiting for a translation.   
"I thank the gods," Octavius actually translated, nodding to the cowboy's confused glare.

"One day," Jedediah warned him with a funny smile, "I'll get lessons from one of your men, so that you ain't confuse me with all that Latin you're talkin'!"   
Octavius chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I'm not talking that much in Latin, sidus," he added then.

"Oh, well, you idiot just talked Latin in the same sentence that you wanted to use to tell me that you don't talk so much Latin."  
"It was one word!"

They laughed and looked at each other, as if they saw the stars shining in each other's eyes over and over again. There wasn't anything that could divide them, right? Octavius closed his eyes shortly.

They would be a team forever.


	16. 16th December

"I feel as fresh as I _never_ did before!"  
That this exclamation was followed by a cough maybe wasn't making it really believable, but it made Octavius laugh, at least.

"You're being silly this evening," he meant and shook his head, "We'll stay here tonight, after that, you can do what you want."

Jedediah breathed playfully shocked and placed a hand on his chest. "Are you implying that I'm not _fine_? But _look_ at me! I'm not even si-"  
"Yeah, _no_. Your cowboy ass will stay inside this building, and I don't care how good and ready you feel, you're still sick enough to get worse again, if you go outside. Listen, I could also just bury you in the snow outside and let you shiver there alone, sidus," Octavius interrupted, smirking slightly, but also slapping Jed with a pillow.

"Stop discussing with me, Lord Helmet," the cowboy protested, looking serious, as long as you wouldn't look into his eyes. There was clearly the playful look Jedediah had when he fooled around with someone. Octavius rolled his eyes over that nickname, though. How often did he tell Jed that he wasn't a Lord now? _Too_ often.

Jed himself really did feel better, his headache went away, he only got a little cold anymore, but Octavius wouldn't let him go outside the house yet, and actually, Jedediah understood why. This was just fooling around to spent some time, and they both enjoyed it.

It also calmed Octavius down, that Jed actually felt better. He really hates it when Jedediah feel so bad like he did in the previous days. Again, who could expect that he just gets sick out of nowhere, while also being an exhibit in this museum, not even a real human.

"I'll only stop discussing when you stop, idiot!" Octavius exclaimed and grinned slightly, before he attacked the cowboy with one of the pillows that he had found. But unfortunately for him, Jed had found one, too.

So that's how they started to fight each other with pillows, and even if Jed still was sick, it was fun for both, because Octavius took back a bit of his strength while attacking him over and over again. And every time Jedediah started to sound as if he was coughing out his whole inner body, they made a break and first talked quietly to care about his voice, then, again, discussed who was the winner of their plays.

They also didn't get an answer for that question, and in the end, when Jed sounded healthier again, they started to attack each other another time, but this time, they didn't only do it standing;

Octavius landed a hit with the pillow in the stand. Yes, they both stood in that room and had some kind of pillow war with each other.

But suddenly, his gaze wandered to the bed in that room, and while he had Jedediah's confusion, he was reconsidering his plan. But then, after some thinking and considering, he just started to run and took Jedediah with him through running into him.

They crashed together and then they landed on the bed, the cowboy underneath the Roman.

Jedediah tried to free himself from the tight grip of Octavius, but it was useless. He already had pinned him on the bed. His hands were holding Jed's over the cowboy's head and Octavius was basically sitting on his lap to pin him there.

Jedediah's cheeks became a bit red, but he still tried to find a spot where he could hit Octavius so bad that he would let go.

Not, that he didn't want bis boyfriend to be close or anything, he just wasn't so used to being dominated by someone, because he usually dominated the other's, even Octavius. But somehow, he also felt okay with this.

Jedediah stopped fighting and instead snorted at the Roman. "What is _this_?" he asked tensed and bit his lip, putting up a fight again.

But that was unnecessary, because Octavius immediately had him down again. " _I'm_ annoying _you_. Also, there is something I need to give you back. It's been a while... I think it was the 7th December," he meant thoughtfully and actually wondered which December it really was, but Jedediah already knew what would come.

The Roman leaned down, put away a bit of Jed's shirt, while the cowboy still was held down. He was wondering about what would happen next.   
_Will it hurt? I mean, I tried not to make it hurt too much back then, but... but... oh fuck it,_ Jedediah thought and closed his eyes forcefully, being a bit anxious about it.

Octavius just stopped in his movement down, but started petting over the skin of the cowboy's neck. The cowboy himself shivered at the touch and pressed his lips together.

"You piece of shit," he laughed and tried to slap Octavius - but, _surprise surprise,_ it didn't work.   
"Do what you can't-"

And then, he gasped loudly, feeling the same thing Octavius must've felt when he himself did that.   
Jedediah's body tensed and then gave in, but then, it was over again.

"You know," Octavius began, still petting the now hot skin of his boyfriend. "When you asked me if I liked it. I should've told you the truth. The truth is yes, yes I really liked it. And I guess I don't have to be ashamed of that anymore, right?"

"You didn't have to be ashamed for that at all, Ockie," Jedediah brought out, even if he didn't know how and why. "It doesn't hurt anyone if you like it, so... No one should say that it's not okay, you understand?"

Octavius let Jed go from his hands and stared at him confused, raising an eyebrow. "You ain't have to look at me like this. I only said the truth," the cowboy defended himself and shrugged.

After all this fighting and weird or cute conversations, Octavius looked to a window and smiled.

"Yeah, you might be right," he said, and leaned down to actually hug Jedediah like that. None of them knew why he suddenly was cuddly, but maybe his Roman head Just spit out a romantic idea or something, at least was this Jedediah's theory. And it was true, even if it's not that poetic or anything.

"I'll stay here with you, so that we wake up together, too. McPhee won't realize it, I'm sure."  
"I'm pretty sure that he'll realize it, Ockie."  
"Ah, surely not, sidus. Stop telling lies."

...

Larry stood in front of the Roman diorama and snorted at them, or more, at Octavius who must have thought that no one would realize it when the general would be missing.

He crossed his arms and actually pitied himself a bit, how he had to stand there, while McPhee gave him some lessions and that he should finally let the exhibits in their diorama, and everything.

"Where is he?" McPhee suddenly asked out of context. "Where is the Roman general? Where did you hide him?"

Larry shrugged, having a headache already. He was still a bit sick, and now this? He totally would talk to that Roman jerk in the next night. But right now, he had to solve this problem.

"I don't know," Larry said, truthworthy, "Maybe with his cowboy together. His friend or... maybe even boyfriend. Seriously, I've got no clue, but I promise, I'll search for him."

Larry could see that McPhee was close to just exploding because of anger. So, he was glad, when he just turned around and went away.

Larry took a deep breath. It took him all self-control to not go to Jed's house, open it, and throw Octavius right out.

But instead, he put a hand at his forehead when he saw them, cuddling with each other.

" _Sure.._."


	17. 17th December

When the next night came, shaking hands with the sun for a last time before she left, the museum looked different than it did before this night. Yesterday it still looked pretty normal, the way it did most of the year, but somehow, Larry managed to persuade McPhee into decorating the museum a bit more into the christmas direction. He told him that it wouldn't be too much, but in the end, you could really see the changes, and Larry was excited to see the exhibit's reactions. He was glad to welcome the possibility of surprising them like this, since they always got to surprise him, too, right?

Octavius woke up, while the last sunshines still went away. He still felt one on his cheek, but then, it left and became a bit darker for a moment. But he opened his eyes a little and saw that more light went on now, and it wasn't dark anymore.

He wanted to move when he suddenly realized that he was lying right next to someone else, and they were hugging each other. He had obviously cuddled himself onto his dear boyfriend when they were awake before.

And when he tried to think correctly, he remembered everything again. They had been talking and fooling around, and in the end, Jed persuaded him to stay and sleep here.

Octavius yawned quietly and hoped that he didn't wake up Jedediah with his "morning" confusion. Usually, it wasn't just confusion, but anxiety. But somehow, the cowboy seemed to have a really good effect on his sleep or on his awakening itself.

And it made sense - when he was there, Octavius felt better. That didn't automatically mean that Jedediah felt great or was safe, either, but he was there and wouldn't be so far away.

He really was hugging Jed really tight and did rest his head on the other's chest, so that he almost started to feel flustered.

"He's your _boyfriend_ ," he told himself really quiet and quickly, but smiled slightly, shifting a bit around, ready to get himself out of the cowboy's arms.

This had been the plan, at least.

Jedediah seemed to have different plans. It didn't matter if he was still doing this in his sleep or because he was awake the whole time, but what mattered was that Jed pulled him closer again and tightened his hug.

Octavius looked up to him and got a bit up, so that he could watch Jedediah like this. _Usually_ , he wasn't at that point of view, right? _Usually_ , he came into the house and either woke him up or Jed woke up just by himself.

This time, he was still in the process of waking up, but at least he didn't see how Octavius looked at his face, smiling. The smile wasn't creepy or anything, it was filled with love and care, but that he was watching the cowboy all this time would maybe freak him out. And, to be honest, the Roman himself was freaked out about his staring.

He put his head down again and closed his eyes for some moment, enjoying the warmth of Jed's body right next to him, until he started moving and trying to sneak out of the tight hug.

"Can't you stay a bit longer with me here?" a tired, but healthy sounding voice asked, and of course, the voice belonged to Jedediah, who didn't like that Octavius was already leaving. But the Roman himself just laughed shortly and escaped from the grip of his boyfriend to get up on the bed.

When he sat already, Jedediah sighed demotivated and put the blanket more over his body.

"Come on, sidus," Octavius meant, hiding a little giggle. "You're perfectly fine again, like you said yesterday. Where did all your motivation go, hm?"

"I want to sleep. _With_ you in my arms, because it was really comfortable, you know?" Jedediah answered and yawned loudly, as if he wanted to show how tired he was.

"Yeah, I know."  
Octavius smiled and then laughed again. "You're _really_ stubborn, aren't you? And you-"  
"Hush, you're destroying my beauty sleep."

"Oh, what beauty sleep?"  
"Do you want to say-"  
"No, I say that you don't need it, stultissimus."

Jedediah groaned again and rolled around to look at Octavius now. "Stop insulting me, will ya?"   
"What if I don't stop?" the Roman asked challenging, "Besides, don't you know how it went out the last time when you thought I was _insulting_ you?"

"Yeah, well. But I know some words already, and I heard that as an insult, I remember," Jedediah answered, his face shortly showing the difficult of all the thoughts he tried to get right.

"Fine, I called you a dumbass."

Jedediah suddenly got up straight and dramatically put a hand on his chest, taking a deep breath, as if he really thought it was unbelievable dramatic.

"What? How could y-"

Octavius was faster and stole a kiss from his lips, a really unpredictable move and Jedediah couldn't even react. But at least, he was silent after it.

"What's wrong, sidus?" Octavius asked, grinning, the triumph written in his glare. "Did that surprise you so much?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Jedediah laughed and shook his head. "I was prepared for a verbal fight, but you fought with an unfair weapon. May you rest in hell."

Octavius rolled his eyes, but Jedediah just kissed him back in that moment, petting through the Roman's short hair. Then, when they seperated again, the cowboy started to grin.

"You should grow your hair, Ockie," he meant and shortly put a hand on his boyfriend's head.   
"It was long once, I remember," Octavius said and frowned.

Jedediah just snorted and shook his head at this sentence. He was completely sure that it was a joke, he never even thought about Octavius having long hair before.

"It was!" the Roman insisted smirking and then rolled his eyes when the other laughed even more. "And it was annoying."

"Oh dear," Jedediah meant, sighing in defeat.

Octavius just giggled a last time and then looked around in the room. "I guess we can leave this house again. Or, more like, you can. I officially say that you're not sick anymore," he meant and finally stood up to get himself ready for going outside.

"Finally. That medicine you gave me was awful."  
Octavius rolled his eyes again, looking at Jed who finally got up, too.

"Don't tell me, tell Larry," he said then, " _he_ was the one who gave it to me."  
"Well, then I know what to do first."

The Roman shortly thought about it, before he quickly made a step towards Jed and took his hands gently. "Will we tell them? About _us_ , I mean."

"They probably will get to know it just by themselves. We don't have to make a big show about it, do we?" Jedediah asked a little bit unsure, what made Octavius smile a little. "Alright, then."

When they got out, they were completely surprised and a bit speechless to begin with.

The last time Octavius was outside this house, the museum wasn't decorated with christmas-y stuff. He actually never really saw the museum decorated like this. Neither did Jed, of course.

It took him another moment, but then he started to smile brightly.

Jedediah was a bit faster, though.

"Awesome!" he shouted loudly and put an arm around Octavius' shoulders, who still only stared at it, smiling.   
"Look at it - this place finally looks like the christmas time! I mean, we're already at the 17th December, so..."  
"You still know the date?" Octavius asked half through and Jed snorted again.   
"Sure thing, Ockie! That little sickness can't kill _my_ time feeling."

"Little sickness? Do you know _how_ miserable you looked when-"  
"Would you stop _ripping_ my sentences _apart_ , thank you. We're here to have fun, right? Not to worry. I've been sick for enough days. Let's look for the others!"

Octavius just nodded and let himself be pulled around by his over-excited boyfriend.

Sure, it was new that the museum was decorated, and Octavius really liked it. It was really interesting to see how much light the rooms now had, thanks to all the little chains of lights. And like this, christmas finally arrived for them. Before that, it had been only winter and the December, and now, it's also christmas, even if the actual day still was eight days away from that point. And, like he expected, when he catched one little peek from the window, he saw that the snow still was a lot.

 _Only one week and a day left, though,_ Octavius realized for himself while he watched Jedediah being excited about the decoration. But then, he himself got irritated.   
_I might have a not so bad feeling for time_ , Octavius meant in his mind.

"Oh damn, can you believe it? This year is almost over," Jedediah gasped and stopped walking around on the museum floor. He looked at Octavius and obviously tried to get fitting words together. But it took him longer than expected.

"It's great to end a year like this, isn't it? I've gotten into a very beautiful relationship with a charming Roman who happens to be the general from the diorama next to mine, oh man," he said and started to laugh at the last part, what Octavius did, too.

"But no, seriously. A great way to end a year."   
"I agree," Octavius meant without even thinking about it, "the best year of my life, yet."


	18. 18th December

"Now look who's there."

With those words, Jed and Octavius were greeted by Larry on the next night when they actually dared to get closer to the other's.

Octavius had looked at the cowboy and watched out to keep some space between them, since they wanted to show their relationship a bit less obvious.

Jedediah laughed at the nightguard and shook his head. "Yeah, well, I probably came back from the dead."

"I'm happy about that. Still, I need to say something-"

Larry got interrupted by himself leaning down, so that he could tell them in "private". "Private" was a pretty inaccurate description of the "party" that had been going on around them, - the exhibits were loud this day - but he knew that practically screaming it around wouldn't please the two miniatures.

"Octavius, the next time I see you at Jed's after the sunrise, I'll be mad. I literally got in trouble because of you. You can spend your cuddling to the whole night, but I want you to be at your places now, especially since Jed's health is quite well again, I guess."

Octavius immediately blushed and hid it behind his helmet, trying to play off as "uncaring" and a bit cold, as if he wasn't embarrassed at all. (What, _of course_ , was a big lie. Like, he was _really_ embarrassed.)

Jedediah was speechless for some minutes, and Octavius predicted that he was blushing, too. With that conclusion, he wasn't even wrong. Not at all, since the cowboy also looked like a tomato. That realization, that Larry just saw them cuddling with each other, threw them off the road. And also, that his only problem was that they would be in their place at time, threw them even more away from or maybe a bit back on their planned way again.

Larry himself was pretty sure that he didn't do anything wrong. He was really confused about their conflicted gazes and probably even more conflicted thoughts.

Well, and we thought we should hide it, Octavius thought and almost had to laugh. It was still funny. They had taken a serious moment to talk about the outing topic and now they probably just raised the conclusion without knowing.

And even if he knew that Jedediah wouldn't be that amused, Octavius started to laugh a little, what evolved into louder laughing.  
"Ah, yes," he sighed, wiping away a tear from his laughing. "He's quite well, I assume. I'm sorry for the trouble that you've gotten into - that wasn't what we intended. Now, that we have this..."

Another giggle followed after this because of Larry's face now. Then, Octavius just cleared his throat, waved up to the nightguard and took Jed's hand, who looked at him almost deadly.

"We are leaving now, if you don't mind."  
Larry just shook his head irritated and made a little hand movement to them before he just turned around and left, what Octavius did with Jedediah at his hand, too.

When they were a bit more in private and Larry had gone into another part of the museum, Octavius completely cracked up for good.

"Gods," he breathed, while Jed just stared at him and frowned. "What's so _damn_ funny in your head? Did I miss something? I mean, he saw us... like that. And I bet he suspects something."  
"Did you look at his face? We fully confused him, Jedediah. And the fact that we even talked about keeping it a secret, and now... Oh, it's not funny, I know, you're right. But I'm still laughing about it."

The cowboy himself smiled again and nodded for himself. "His face was pretty funny, yup. But I bet _our's_ weren't the unfunniest either."

"You confused our nightguard because you started to _laugh_. I mean, that story is the new _legend_ ," Jedediah said then, even laughing himself, while Octavius slowly stopped.

"Now, seriously," he meant after taking some deep breaths, "He'll have his opinion on what he saw."

"He will," the cowboy agreed, "But I think we officially won't care anymore. Maybe you can put your laughing on and everything is alright."

"Awww, is that what you think of my laugh, sidus? A problem solver?", Octavius mused and winked at his boyfriend, who responded with coming close and kissing him on the cheek.

"Sure, Ockie."

Then, Jedediah just kissed him on the lips and Octavius kissed back. Both were completely ignoring their environment now, especially, since they almost got exposed once. They didn't really care in that moment, and suddenly, Octavius threw Jed's hat off with his hands to grab into the blond hair.

The cowboy responded with pulling away and looking at his boyfriend, frowning.   
"You ain't like my hat, do you?" he asked amused, but the Roman just rolled his eyes and pushed him back to himself again.

Their lips were almost touching again, but for this moment, they were just staying at each other and thinking their own part.

"I guess now we don't care about being seen anymore, hm?" Octavius asked and strongered his grip at Jed's hair.

"Not really," the cowboy said and just let Oct do what he wanted while they stared at each other and wondered how it could be that no one saw them there, standing really close, kissing pretty often and almost in a seductive way.

"Good, though. It wouldn't have helped anyw-"  
"Yeah, yeah. I know. You're the _wise_ person here."  
"Since the person that I portray would be a little less than 2000 years older than you, that actually makes sense."  
"Just shut up you idiot," Jedediah muttered defeated, but still amused.

"I can make you shut up, too," Octavius answered fast and only a bit unsure in the beginning.   
"Oh, is that so?"

The Roman took the cowboy's body with him and pinned him at the wall. Then, he just started to kiss his boyfriend as well as he started to explore Jed's body with his hands. Those hands were under his shirt and touching the soft skin of Jedediah, who then shivered at that touch.

Jedediah was a little bit panting when Octavius backed up again.

The Roman grinned teasing and played around with some hair of his boyfriend right before him that probably waited for him go continue. But he just smirked a long time after he kisses Jedediah. And he just stared into the other's eyes.

Jed was kinda creeped out, but hey, he just did it again and pulled Octavius closer to kiss his forehead, bis cheek, his chin, and it stayed with this.

"I'm glad to have you as my boyfriend. It doesn't matter what they would say. You're still here with me, right?"

Jedediah smiled gently and gave Octavius a little smack on the helmet.

"Yeah, Sure. Won't leave ya so fast. You need to get going with me here, being there to destroy everything that I touch."

"I still really want you to be with me, no matter when."  
"..."  
"Alright. Good. I love you, too."


	19. 19th December

The next day, or, well, next night, was a party night for the exhibits. But for our favourite little dorks, this would end up as more than just a simple party night. Who still remembered how they are acting if they get drunk? It happened again in that night. The night of the 19th December, of course.

...

"Why didn't anyone tell us that tonight is a party night? I would've gotten prepared for it!" Jedediah exclaimed excited, what made Octavius chuckle slightly.

"No one fully knew when we would be completely there again. Calm down, sidus," he meant, almost laughing out loud. Seeing Jedediah pout disappointed but still amused was too adorable and too funny at once.

The Roman leaned against the wall that still seperated their dioramas. They were in the Roman diorama right now - the other Romans already had thought that they got lost anywhere. So, that meant, they had been on their own for the last days. They had been on their own for quite the whole December, though - they were making chaos in a pair and not with their men. They only once or twice looked if everything was fine.

So, Octavius meant that he should talk to his people a bit in this night, before they all, including Jedediah, would go to the party that was thrown by Larry and Nicky. But right now, they were just waiting together, and that's why Octavius was leaning against that wall. He had a better view on Jedediah like that, what he actually used.

"You are really handsome," Octavius meant suddenly and smiled gently at his boyfriend when he looked at him again.

Jedediah looked kinda flustered, but looked up and smiled back to the Roman that was watching him. It may be a bit awkward that Octavius was watching him like this, but he knew that Jedediah would have said something if he wasn't comfortable at all.

So, he moved around with his hand a bit until their people have come together in a group and started to leave. Then, he nodded at the cowboy and started to go, too.

Jedediah didn't need any moments to react and follow his Roman. He knew that he should have expected Octavius to try to make up for the missed days as general, but he still was a bit impatient.

...

The closer they came, the more clear it was that they were celebrating. Even if that wasn't exactly the right sentence, since they just were having fun and actually had nothing to celebrate. They just had their fun - and however, just to already _mention_ the dilemma, there _was_ alcohol.

Before the announced things happened, Jedediah brought the alcohol to Octavius' and his place on this party. It was noisy as always, but there were only happy faces to be seen and that cheered Octavius up, who had a thing for watching people's behavior this night.

Still, Jedediah was able to scare him with talking to him in a very loud voice, being quite close.

One dead-glare, then confusion, and in the end, a second dead-glare.

"Jedediah," Octavius began seriously and sighed. "You just are at a better health again. Do you really want to drink alcohol now? Wouldn't it be better to wait a bit longer?"

No matter how nice this was meant, the cowboy shook his head and insisted on the alcoholic drinks that he got in his hands.

Octavius stared at him, at the drinks, and then down at himself. Then, he tried to find a good solution for this, but there was none.

"Fine, sidus. But if it's not good for your health at this moment, don't blame me."

At first, this sounded way too serious and almost daring, but then, Octavius' face took the gentle and amused look again, and he couldn't help but laugh at Jed's first shock.

"Yeah, if _that's_ your compromise..."

Jedediah put the glass into Octavius' hands and drank from his own. He didn't even doubt his decision and even quickly swallowed all of it down, the glass quite empty when he gets off his mouth from the glass to lick over his lips and watch Octavius' reaction.

The Roman was _embarrassed_ when he realized that the cowboy was paying attention to him at that moment, but he just started drinking himself.

...

And that's how they became drunk quite quick.

Jedediah was giggling at Octavius, who was feeling kinda bad about this whole idea, even if he was drunk. Not even lightly drunk, but really, really drunk.

"What's the matter, Ockie?" Jed asked loudly and put an arm around.

"Just thinking," Octavius told his boyfriend, his tongue quite forgetting that it had work to do. So he practically had to work with short answers so that he at least wouldn't sound like an idiot.

"Ahhh~" Jedediah mused and pulled the Roman's body even closer.

"Sidus, stay silent, they may as well find out. And since you're drunk, I don't want you to do this. I mean, I don't care, but you maybe do afterwards."

"Now is the perfect time for it, believe me!" he screamed practically, since it was really, really loud around them. Would be weird if they could perfectly listen to what they were discussing.

Octavius looked into the direction that Jedediah's finger was pointing had.

"A... _Misteltoe_?" the Roman asked cluelessly and confused. It was already confusing to get going with Jed's weird thoughts when he was drunk, and now he officially wanted to use the mistletoe as excuse to kiss Octavius?

"Yeah, ya got it. Why not though? No one would suspect a thing~" Jedediah sighed disappointed in Octavius' not so excited reaction.

"Sidus, how much alcohol did you drink?"

"Not that much. Y'know, I jus' started thinking that we should jus' out ourselves. There's nothing bad 'bout being with ya, so why should I hide it? They have no power over us anyways," he answered with a grin still clinging onto his face.

"Gods, what did they give you?" Octavius muttered, frowning a little bit, but then he laughed. "Good. Good. But if you regret it tomorrow, I warned you."

Jedediah grunted and looked around. All of those exhibits around them would probably didn't even see it, so he couldn't understand Octavius' worries at all.

But instead of using that mistletoe, Jedediah just pulled the Roman closer and closer.  
"I ain't need that thing to kiss ya, Ockie. I'll never need that."

After those words, he kissed Octavius who was more than confused, but still returned that kiss. It felt a bit aggressive, but rather passionate from Jed's sight.

Octavius gripped into the cowboy's clothes and put more pressure into the kiss, playing with the others lips. It felt right, and he didn't even hear the music or the other people anymore.

It was so relaxing to be just with Jed, kissing or hugging him. He _completely_ welcomed the warmth that this cowboy was giving him. It could be called "searching for the warmth", because he immediately came closer to his boyfriend while kissing. He didn't even _realize_ that, although it was him doing it!

Then, Jedediah pulled away and needed to breath deeply while he licked his lips and cracked a little but proud smile.

And Jed was right - no one did even see them kissing right there in the middle of them all - and Octavius was glad about it. To imagine that people, in the worst case, his own men, would see how emotionally he and his body reacted to the passionate kissing... It would be a disaster, probably.

But that was _nothing_ Octavius wanted to think about. He only wanted to think about the alcohol that he tasted on his lips thanks to his boyfriend, including a very sweet taste. Probably some actual sweets. Also, there was a light feeling of pleasure running through his veins.

So he just rushed forward to the heavily breathing Jedediah, took him by his clothes, and kissed him again. This time, it wasn't passionate in an innocent way. This time, he took his time to explore the foreign or not so foreign tastes that he would find there, and also the feeling of Jedediah shivering underneath his touches.

He even heard a choked moan once he obviously hit a pretty sensitive part, but then, this sensation also was away after some time.

And still, no one had noticed the Roman and the Cowboy right there making out.


	20. 20th December

"What?"

"I saw you two kissing. You seemed to be so drunk you forgot everyone can see you. Plus, you were in _the middle_ of that crowd."

" _What_?!"

Octavius stared into the empty diorama room, trying to consume and understand what Larry was telling them. This couldn't be! They had been so sure that everyone was distracted... Or at least they had been drunk enough to assume that.

This was more likely what happened at all. They just got dreamy and felt hidden in their minds, while everyone still could look.

Octavius could even remember that thought crossing his mind, though. But it seemed like that didn't prevent them from doing that.

Jedediah was just surprised. Or rather shocked, if Octavius was honest. He himself just frowned and bit his lip a bit... troubled.

"Well..." the Roman then started, scratching his arm a bit awkward. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"Of course not!" Larry exclaimed, seeming really surprised about that question. "I just wanted to ask because I really have been wondering what that was. And to your defense, I don't think there are many other people who saw you, besides me of course. Just be more careful, if you still want to keep it a secret. I don't think that many persons will have a problem with it, anyways. It's your own thing, right?"

"Right," Jedediah muttered just loud enough, still working through it. He began to relax a bit, though. And when he realized that Octavius was looking at him, he smiled slightly, rubbing his own arm a bit.

Larry looked around between them before he said goodbye, wished good luck and went away into another room, probably to look for someone else of the exhibits.

Octavius went a few steps closer to Jed and sighed.   
"Oopsie," the cowboy just sighed and put a hand at his head. "Well, at least we ain't have to out ourselves in front of Larry anymore, right?"

The Roman just giggled a little bit and quietly about that. "Yes, that's right. We don't have to do that anymore. But I think it's time to decide whether we make it official and just don't care about it anymore or we hide it and really do it this time."

"Yeah, we should _probably_ do that..." Jedediah murmured quietly and cracked up a little bit. "Embarrassing situation, though. I'm glad he didn't just talked about it even more to get the information. But now we really need to be sure what we want. Knew this day would come, _haha_. But I hoped it would be caused by other things than... _that_."

"We should've known, though. Remember calling me your boyfriend when you were drunk around the first December days? I mean, I'm glad to be your boyfriend, but that wasn't exactly what I expected. We are really obvious when we are drunk."

Jedediah laughed with Octavius after that saying. It was a really good description of what had happened that night in the beginning and the night that was the earliest from that point on.

"I guess we should just treat it official. We'll get it covered up by time anyways, y'know?" Jedediah meant thoughtfully after a short silence.

"You don't have to ask me, I was raised being told that it's normal," Octavius answered and smiled gently at Jedediah, who smiled, too.

"Yeah... Then we'll do that. I bet Larry will be confused, though. He tries to help us keep it a secret and then we just break out, if you understand what I mean," the cowboy said, smirking about their nightguards possible reactions.

"He will, I'm sure. We're not always the most logical beings."  
Jedediah snapped at the others helmet and snorted. "You keeping the meaning of my nickname for yourself worked out, too. Even if you are better at keeping a secret than I am, apparently. I would've failed at the first day."

Octavius frowned, "How does it come that you remember the sidus thing right now?"

"I seriously don't know," Jedediah laughed honestly. "Jus' that whole thingy with keeping something a secret and all. I mean, you made me sidus right from the start and kept it for around ten days, if I remember it right. Like I said, more than what we together get done."

"We were drunk."

"Still. Our relationship might have killed your capability of having secrets. I'm _very_ sorry."

For a short moment, this seemed serious again, and since Octavius wasn't that good in seeing the actual line right there, he looked at Jedediah a bit worried, who then just cracked up laughing.

Now, both of them laughed together and shook their heads. This conversation was rather funny and comfortable again, and Jedediah was pretty glad about it. The serious part needed to be discussed, too, but too much would've been sickening to him.

Octavius knew that, so he was happy that they could laugh about it.

He still got what he wanted, though. An answer to the question if they would go full official or not. That question had jumped around on his tongue for a quite a time, even if he didn't notice most of the times it had been doing that.

"It probably has been because I didn't pay attention to others when we were together. I grew so attached to you that I can't live without you, oh help me. I'll always behave like the way when you are with me. Such a drama."

"Yeah, how bad. But you are very lucky because I ain't planning on letting you leave anytime soon. And with not anytime soon, I mean never."

Again, it was half serious, half joking. But Octavius took the chance to gently smile at his boyfriend. "Good. I'll count on that promise."

He really loved that they were so playfully with each other but still managed to give the message to the other one, who most likely had problems to see if it was more fun or more serious.

Octavius didn't care. He just liked to be with Jed. And sometimes, they had those deep talks. And he loved them, too.

Jedediah wasn't even close to being bad at talking.


	21. 21st December

"So, have we ever just stared at the sunrise through the window? It could be a good idea and if we talk about it with Larry - he could pick us up if we just get ourselves into the right positions. I just want to see the sunrise for once together with you, even if only through a museum window. I'm sure Larry will agree if we-"

"Hey, don't worry," Octavius said to the obviously worrying cowboy right next to him. They were sitting at a window and staring outside to the snow and the moon when this idea suddenly jumped into Jeds mind.

He liked the idea, too, and so did Octavius. There was nothing wrong with at least watching it a bit through that window? Larry should have the time to bring them back, though. They just had to talk to him, both knew.

Or they hoped they knew.

"So, are we gonna get him?" Jedediah asked the Roman, still staring outside, a little smirk on his lips.

"Yes, sure."  
With those words, Octavius got up and tried to spot Larry from the high point they were at.

But when he couldn't, he just put his hands around his mouth and screamed "Larry!" very, very loud through, like, the whole museum.

"Holy shit," Jedediah said, now grinning at Octavius himself, "You've got a good voice there."

"Only for you, sidus. Now, I hope that-"

"Okay guys, what have you done - Hey, looks pretty peaceful to me. Well, still, Octavius, why did you scream for me at all?"

"Could you _please_ allow us to stay here at the window while sunrise? We would be in our positions so that you only have to bring us into our dioramas, you know? We would be really happy about a _yes_."

"Alright, okay. But if you aren't standing in the right positions, I'm going to end you. I mean that. I've gotten into many troubles because of you two."

Jedediah turned to the window and smiled very much while Octavius thanked Larry many times before he, like always, spotted something going on and went after that.

The Roman slided closer to the cowboy to gently lean against him. Something about the outside must still fascinate him, he saw it at the glare of the blonde.

"We could go outside tomorrow, sidus," Octavius suggested and blew a little bit of Jedediahs hair around.

"What? You would do that?" Jed asked surprised and still smiling, the smile just growing bigger and bigger.

"Yes, but we have to tuck you in and hold you warm when we are inside again. Not that you get sick again, christmas is in three days. That would be really unfortunate."

Jedediah leaned against Octavius, too and sighed. "I agree. Not that I would mind. I loved being alone with you caring about me and telling me stories about your childhood. I still know pretty many things that you told me about Rome. Especially the fact that the families who love each other love the winter because of the fact that they ain't have to fight most of the time. That stuck with me. It's just what I hope for us all the time. That we can stay together and that we ain't have to fight. I mean, can we actually die besides falling to dust at sunrise? If we can, our safety here is a very good thing."

"Now that you say it... You're right. Being safe is truly rare. Being save with your loved one or loved ones even more. That's quite sad, if you think about it."

"It really is... No way that I can unthink this ever again, though. Some things we, or specifically you, speak about stick with me until something that feels like eternity."

Some short silence came up, but it was a comfortable silence.

They just sat there with each other, feeling safe, when Jedediah suddenly had another idea of what he was feeling about this whole topic.

" _We_ had war, too," Jed said, "Between the two of us."

They looked at each other, and when Jedediah saw the Roman's smile, he knew they thought the same.

"Now that the winter came, we put our war aside and now, on the 21st December, we're sitting here and are talking about it. Everything that happens has a reason, I guess."

Something comfortable just spread around them and their glares, so that Octavius just decided to lean forward and kiss his cowboy on the lips. He did it gently, but still telling what he felt.

Jedediah put his arms around Octavius back and pulled him closer.

They knew the sun was rising already. At least almost. They especially knew it because the museum was getting more quiet. The last exhibits were getting back to their place, and Larry was talking about something with someone in that moment. But it didn't matter at all.

They separated from the kiss again and just leaned on each other for the second time. They felt comfortable like this, and that could be seen through their behavior.

The sun was definitely rising. The sky became pink and orange, a really interesting color game was going on. Jedediah was fascinated, and Octavius just pulled him even closer because he knew that they would be separated for the whole coming day after this moment.

This moment of magic was a better description to them.

Jedediah took Octavius' hand, but slowly stood up, so that it looked a bit strange how Octavius still sat and hold the hand of the standing cowboy.

But the Roman quickly got up too, stared into Jedediah's eyes again and smiled a last time before the day would be there to take the life out of them until the night would come back.

"Good night, Ockie."  
"Good _morning_ , sidus."

With that and a little last sharing of amused smiles, they went into their usual postures and waited for the day becoming whole.

When it did, Octavius last thought almost got him smiling. But he hold it back.

They still forgot to stop holding hands, though.

....

  
That resulted in Larry getting a little emotional crisis when he saw it.

It was difficult to get them separated, yes.


	22. 22nd December

"So, going outside, right?"

"Yes. I take the full responsibility for that plan and for the case that you get sick again."

"We have a plan to prevent _that_ , though."

Octavius stared at Jedediah and Jedediah stared back. They were driving around with their little car again and obviously still overthinking their decisions.

It wasn't long since Jedediah had been sick, and still, they were pretty much sure to go outside into the snow again.

The snow which, to mention that, became even more over the December.

And then, after they discussed a bit longer and thought about in a silent moment, they drove outside. And to be honest, not only Jedediah was happy about it.

Octavius sure liked it outside - he was just a bit worried about being too late into the museum at sunrise or some of those things that could possibly happen.

But as soon as he was able to look around when Jed had driven far enough to be outside, he forget all of his concern.

This night was really beautiful. The stars were shining strongly and the sky was clear, almost no clouds to be seen. It wasn't snowing, too, so they had free sight.

"Look, sidus, there are your companions, see?" Octavius asked and laughed at Jedediahs confused face that came back to that question.

"The stars," the Roman said, pointing up, still giggling a little bit while Jedediah quickly parked the car at the stairs.

And in one moment where the cowboy didn't focus on that but on the sky and the mentioned stars, he looked up interested.

"You're right. You might as well cast a spell on everyone you call sidus? So that they end up there to watch you catch other people. But oh-oh! A good looking cowboy came into the game and while the Roman general tried to hold the power, the cowboy strongered his to defend himself. But then again, he didn't even have to! The Roman fell in love with the handsome and awesome cowboy and couldn't hurt him, even if he called him sidus. Also, the new sidus wanted everyone else to be free."

Actually, they already were outside shortly before the snow would be right in front of them, but even if Octavius looked at him weirdly, he stayed silent so that Jedediah could go on. It took them a moment of silence before they decided to sit down on the stairs instead.

Jedediah laughed a little and looked up to the sky again, after he had been watching the snow for a while.

"Yeah, he freed them, I guess. He still most loved the closeness and friendliness of his new boyfriend, hehe."

Now Octavius was on that way again and giggled with the cowboy.

Finally he could think the same without saying something from to him. That would've been terrible for Octavius himself. But what Jedediah would've thought of that was unclear and the Roman didn't want to challenge that.

Jokes could be really unfitting in some points of time and Octavius felt like that would have been one of them. But nothing happened, right? They just were back to normal by then.

"This night is really beautiful," Jedediah muttered and smiled at his Roman boyfriend.

"Yes, that is true."

Jedediah then turned his head to look around a bit more. "I wonder..." he began, seeming really thoughtful. "How many people did you date before me?"

"Woah, does it matter what I say?" Octavius asked with a little grin on his lips. That question actually made him wonder why Jedediah would think about such a thing.

"No, I'm just curious, you know..."   
"If it's just that..."

The Roman put one of his feet to the snow and inhaled a deep breath with the fresh and cold air.

He tried to think of the answer. But no actually number would come to him about that topic. He really had no idea. But even more, he was worrying. Jedediah had not told him the truth, he was pretty sure. There must be another reason for Jed to ask such a question.

"There haven't been that many... But I can't remember a number or anything. Now may I ask why you really are wondering?"

Jedediah blushed a bit and looked down to the deeper snow, again, watching Octavius' foot playing around with it.

"I... I just have the feeling that you know what you are doing in this relationship... And I just kinda.. Never had or remember one with a man before."

Octavius giggled then because he really thought it was cute how Jedediah assumed something like that. "Know what I'm doing? Oh, no, don't think that. We just work well _together_ , even if you feel a bit unknowing."

Jed laughed and shook his head a little bit. "Well, then."

He took a good pull of strength and actually pushed Octavius down the last step, laughing viciously while he looked at him landing in the deep snow with a surprised and not so manly scream.

And when he was sure that Octavius fell deeply, he jumped after him to land on him.

This plan actually worked out, what was a big surprise for both of them, but anyways... Jed now sat on Octavius who was laying face forward in snow and trying to get up.

"Ha-haa!" he yelled, feeling great because he won the power in this situation.

"You _asshole_ ," Octavius whispered from his spot, getting kinda made quiet because of the snow in and around his face. And also the cowboy sitting on his back.

"Gotcha!" he exclaimed proudly and leaned down to the Roman's face, what the Roman himself didn't even see.

"I meant what I said tho," he whispered very quiet into Octavius' ear who shivered visibly when the Jeds breath also hit his ear.

Getting a weird feeling inside, he threw Jedediah off who wasn't paying enough attention, what caused the cowboy to land in the snow, too. The Roman rolled over and wiped off the water that was melted snow.

"Oops?" he breathed slowly and played innocently.

"Man, everything was going well until you had to ruin it."

Instead of answering to that, Octavius turned around, over Jedediahs body, just to steal a little kiss from him, like they did the first time.

Outside at the cold.

And even if Jedediah had desperately hoped that he wouldn't catch a cold again, he didn't care about that in this moment at all.


	23. 23rd December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was fucking sure that I updated yesterday though...

And to his luck, he didn't catch a cold.

When they had gone into the museum again that night before, Octavius had dragged him into the western diorama to persuade him into changing his clothes and getting dry and all warmed up again. They then had talked a little bit, but most likely were cuddling with each other to warm up again.

And when Octavius came to life this night, he just smiled. No panic, like in the beginning of the December nights. Just a little smile thanks to a very special cowboy that was probably (hopefully) just waiting for him in his diorama next to him.

Jedediah himself was also looking forward to being with Octavius again. He wished they could just stay together until the sunrise came every night, but then Larry would probably just kill them, that pissed would he become at them being together every morning.

The fact, that he can't actually pull them away from each other like that when they were curled up into each other's arms or anything, made everything so much more annoying. Jed knew that, and despite the fact that he liked to annoy Larry, he would rather want to be on good terms in those times, since they couldn't know how long he would be working there. How long he would stay here and be with them every night.

That's a really angsty thought, Jedediah meant in his head before he more or less elegant came to Octavius diorama, where he was awaited already.

And because it was a really angsty thing, he pushed it aside and faced Octavius, who already smiled.

It was no secret that he would do something in the next few moments or that he already had done something, but Jed couldn't think of anything that he could've done so fast.

Instead of some plan or anything that Jedediah thought of, Octavius just came towards him, quickly took his face into his hands and then kissed him deeply, but still kind of in a hurry. Or he was nervous, Jedediah couldn't tell.

The only thing he could tell was that he kissed back and enjoyed it, even if they heard the rather confused noises from the Roman's around them. He even put his arms around Octavius' and sighed happily at the kiss.

And even when he backed away with his head because he needed to breath deeply, his good feeling didn't go.

"So, we gonna do this more, right?" Jedediah asked amused and kissed the others cheek all of a sudden.

While Octavius still held the cowboy's face in his hands, Jedediah smiled and pulled his Roman even closer.

"Yes."  
"Good. Because I definitely like it."  
"That's really good."

They smiled at each other, eyes sparkling with happiness.

And both knew that this was just a moment. That no happiness was forever, not even the happiness of two exhibits.

And those was angsty too, but Jedediah and Octavius knew and thought about it in that moment. No matter how many people stared at them (mostly being happy with it), no matter how beautiful the whole museum looked, decorated in a really good way for Christmas, and no matter how close it already was to Christmas, this was just a moment.

But Octavius himself was sure that they would have many, many more moments like this. And he was sure that one day, they would forget That their happiness isn't forever.

This thought could be rated "shattering" but it actually motivated both of them to just... be more open with their love. With their bond.

There will be one day, where it all matters. But this Christmas was just going to be a peaceful day or maybe even a party, and Octavius smiled even more when he thought about the fact that the day after tomorrow was the day where they would celebrate.

When Christmas finally would be there for them. The 25th December was rushing towards them.

And even if he couldn't offer Jedediah a journey or something with money, he at least could be with him as a friend, no, a boyfriend this year.

After so many years of fighting, that would be really special this time.

Maybe Octavius just was too sentimal about all of this. But it didn't seem that Jed was bothered by all of this.

Another kiss, and they actually let each other go, still smiling.

Those nights have been a great thing for them. Finally, they've gotten to know each other better. And they've gotten to love each other, too. Even if it was only eleven days ago, it already felt the way that they have been in a relationship for an eternity now.

A good kind of eternity. Like, that one that you really want to be an eternity.

And so, they would sit around in the museum and watch the lights of the decoration that was hung up for Christmas. And they didn't even feel as if it was cheesy to be like this or anything - they just liked to be with each other. To be quiet, once in a while. Quiet and just there with each other.

No one else was bothering them and that was fine for this night. It was actually unbelievably silent. Usually, something has always been going on. It either came from the others or from themselves, and in both ways was nothing this night.

It was so shortly before Christmas, but they couldn't see anything that they would wish for.

Jedediah and Octavius had each other to lean on, to have fun, to be with.

And right now, Octavius was leaning onto Jedediah and had his eyes closed, breathing slowly. Something made them feel dizzy, but they didn't even mind.

This was also right. And even if it was not ordinary for them to just sit there together, not even talking or rather mocking each other. No, nothing of that.

This still felt as normal as everything else. And they both saw more nights like that coming.

And the decoration really was beautiful. Octavius tried to create an inside reminder that he wants to thank Larry for this.


	24. 24th December

"It's the 24th of December, Ockie!" Jedediah yelled excited and held a grip on his surprised boyfriend, so that he could shake his shoulders as a portrait of his excitement. "Do you know what that means?", the cowboy asked grinning, while Octavius just glared at him and laughed a little awkwardly.

Jedediah actually came to the brilliant idea of scaring Octavius for this special day.

He had waited behind an edge for the Roman, who wanted to go away from the diorama with him together, the exact same way they usually did.

So, he was expecting nothing than just Jed when he came to the diorama. Instead of that, though, he was "brutally" tackled and tied up with a thick rope. Before he could realize it by himself who was the attacker, he revealed himself through laughing and spinning the imprisoned around to make eye contact.

So there Octavius was, tied up, staring at Jedediah, really not even able to move a bit, and the cowboy even wanted him to answer that question. At least that's what he waited for before, but then, it was just too boring for him that Octavius still seemed to get through what had happened. But Jed besides him interrupted that by snorting and slamming his foot to the ground once.

"Christmas Eve, you idiot. Tomorrow already is the 25th! It's so awesome. And because it's a special day and I wanted to be funny, you have to deal with being tied up now," Jedediah said and wiped away his tears of laughter. "I finally captured you once in a while. Just like old times, right? So. Now, on Christmas Eve. What can we do? Aren't the others throwing a party again?"

"Well, you know. I could simply look if they do, but it looks as if I got tied up by someone in the recent few moments," Octavius said back, sounding annoyed, but bursted into laughing after that when he saw Jedediahs reaction to this answer.

"Will you let me go now?" Octavius asked with a little sigh, but Jedediah grinned again and shook his head. "I'd rather just spent a moment with you alone."

"That's why you tie me up?", the Roman asked and raised an eyebrow while Jed seemed to try finding a right answer. He suddenly seemed to have the one he was searching for and leaned forward a bit.

"That's just to annoy you a bit. And to give you a good ol' scare. And the way I see it, it actually worked. Ain't that great?"  
Octavius rolled his eyes playfully. "Yes, totally. Now let me free, sidus," he said and moved, or tried to move, a bit against the rope.

"Uhm... Nope, absolutely nope! How often do I get the chance to do with you what I want because you can't actually move?" Jedediah asked, sounding unbelieving, while Octavius probably looked as if he was planning the murder on his boyfriend. But that didn't frighten the cowboy, not at all. It actually seemed like it motivated him even more.

"Well, now I know why it's good to keep those chances low," Octavius giggled quietly, but because Jedediah was leaning in so close, he could hear it. "Besides, you can't even do everything. The rope would be covering some decent parts of myself that you would need for everything."

He definitely didn't know he had that side inside of him, and Jedediah didn't see it coming too. Shortly, there was confusion on his face, but when he saw Octavius' weird grin, realization hit him hard. His eyes widened and his smile turned into an open mouth, ready to say something, but nothing actually came out. He didn't expect Octavius to say a thing like that.

"Oh w-well," Jedediah said a bit shaky, raising an eyebrow after he catched himself, "I can take the rope off and only put it around your hands."

This time, Octavius gasped shocked for a little moment. Then, he grinned again.  
"Is this some sort of game?" he asked amused, and Jed shrugged slightly. "You started it."

"Oh, that you tie me up is my fault, then?" the Roman blunted out and snorted at Jed.  
"No, but you started this game," he said with a little and almost invisible wink.

"This game feels rather interesting."  
Jedediah raised an eyebrow and smiled at once. "Feels? What do you feel, Octavius?" he asked, mocking the tied Roman that just shrugged to Jedediah's weird attempts.

"I feel the rope around my body. Being in the way. If you understand what I mean."  
He winked at the cowboy who straightened himself this time and still smiled innocently.  
"Aye, that's sad for you."  
"Hmmm... And for you."  
"For me?"  
"Yes. You'll loose a chance for some experiencing."

Jedediah hissed and Octavius grinned, being able to make the cowboy so embarrassed all of the sudden.

"Damn it, you're way better at this. Did you prepare yourself?"  
"Prepare myself?" Octavius asked rather amused, but also trying to sound serious.  
"For what, exactly? And at what am I better than you, sweetheart?"

Jedediah rolled his eyes and grabbed the Roman at the rope to pull him closer.  
"I would shut your mouth if I were you and tied up because of me, though we are boyfriends, so..."  
"Make me."  
"What?" the cowboy asked confused and frowning, but as soon as Octavius opened his mouth again, he found himself seeing what was meant.  
"Make me shut up, Jedediah."

Jedediah suddenly felt dizzy and he bit his lip as he leaned forward, while he actually pulled at the rope a little bit.

Then, Octavius leaned forward, too, and met Jedediah's lips in a passionate kiss that even concluded biting on the other's lip.

Some of the other exhibits actually wondered where Octavius and Jedediah were while the party was going on.

Larry just told them not to worry about them.

There was no reason for walking after them. Right? _Right_.

It was Christmas Eve, after all.


	25. 25th December

I need to be honest with you. This is more of an epilogue to this little project. For all other days on December, especially the last one, Jedediah and Octavius have been looking forward to the 25th of December.

But on that day, they were happy to see, that both didn't even need any presents for the other one. No, they met each other again at the middle between their dioramas and hugged, kissed, and laughed with each other. And that was okay.

There didn't have to be any present besides that, what they would see as their presents. And that was their relationship.

It was a really beautiful night, though. Everyone was there and everyone was celebrating, like the way they did yesterday. But Jedediah and Octavius also agreed on the fact, that being able to throw these parties is a present too.

And looking at that, the 25th was special in the way they all felt, but actually, they just realized what kind of a big present their everyday was, if they just reflected it from time to time.


End file.
